The folks at Princeton University Press have done it. I’ve been being asked for years whether an app existed that can identify bird calls and songs. Later this spring, BirdGenie will be launched by Princeton University Press — hopefully in time for the New England warbler season.
I can’t offer a review of the product since it hasn’t been launched yet, but that will come soon enough. For now, see the press release below from Princeton University Press regarding the upcoming app:
BirdGenie™ is a remarkable app that enables anyone with a supported Apple® or Android® smartphone or tablet to identify birds in the backyard, at the local park, or on the nature trail–all with the tap of a button! It’s like Shazam® for nature–just hold up your phone, record the bird singing, and BirdGenie tells you what bird it is!Each regional app contains eighty vocalization types for sixty bird species, covering almost all of the birds you are likely to encounter. When you hear a singing bird and make a clear recording with your smartphone or tablet, BirdGenie identifies the bird if it is an included species, tells you exactly how confident it is that the identification is correct, and provide audio samples of the bird’s various songs to compare with your own recording, as well as color photos, useful information, and links to further reading. You can attach comments, photos, and other info to your recordings, track your history with a convenient log, and easily share everything with friends and other users. Even better, no internet connection is needed, making BirdGenie accessible everywhere you go.
An incredibly enjoyable app for anyone who wants to know what bird they’re listening to, and a perfect tool for teaching and learning, BirdGenie takes bird identification to a whole new awesome level.
With BirdGenie you can:
Technical Specifications:
Shazam® is the registered trademark of Shazam Entertainment Limited and is not affiliated with Princeton University Press in any way. BirdGenie™ is a trademark of Princeton University Press. Tom Stephenson‘s articles and photos have appeared in Birding and Bird Watcher’s Digest, at Surfbirds.com, and in the Handbook of the Birds of the World. He has guided groups across the United States and Asia. A musician, he has had several Grammy and Academy Award winners as clients, and was director of technology at Roland Corporation. Stephen Travis Pope is an award-winning composer, performer, and software engineer developing novel digital-audio processing applications. He has worked on audio analysis programs and music search engines for over a decade. In 2007, the Electronic Music Foundation released a triple-disc anthology of his music and videos called Ritual and Memory. His most recent work is the feature-length music film Secrets, Dreams, Faith and Wonder. |
That’s exciting! I heard my 1st Kingbird singing this AM in Oklahoma City. Marie (@OKroserock)
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I cannot wait to get my hands on this one. Sounds like it is going to be the ultimate app!
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