Identifying birds

Fizzy3 · ‎06-13-2026

Just came across this easy and excellent way to identify all the birds in your county.

Go to allaboutbirds dot org and on the left side, click on the Try Birds Near Me link.

There are filters for time of year, color, and behavior and you will be able to see the male and the female, plus listen to their call/song.

I love birds and have never both seen and heard them at the same time, so this is incredibly helpful and I'm thankful the Cornell Ornithology Lab came up with it!

Sansun · ‎08-25-2010

Thanks for sharing.

occasionalrain · ‎03-10-2010

@Fizzy3

Perfect timing. Today a bird was at my feeders that I didn't recognize.

Ainhisg · ‎03-09-2010

Easier way than that...download the Merlin app, record the birds, and it will identify every one by their calls. You can also upload a pic of the bird from your phone, and it will identify the bird and show you the male, female, and juvenile.

drizzellla · ‎03-14-2010

@Ainhisg wrote:
Easier way than that...download the Merlin app, record the birds, and it will identify every one by their calls. You can also upload a pic of the bird from your phone, and it will identify the bird and show you the male, female, and juvenile.

My husband has the Merlin program downloaded on his phone.

When we walk in the park it shows all the different birds that the program hears. Sometimes it listed 6 or so birds. Amazing it can distinguish that many birds at one time.
But it seems like in the early morning the birds have alot to "talk" about.

Fizzy3 · ‎06-13-2026

BTW, I only access the Internet via my laptop so the website is great for anyone who connects the same way.

Oznell · ‎11-08-2014

Thank you for so thoughtfully posting, @Fizzy3 ! I went there and typed in my county. It was fun going through the birds, and playing their calls. Hubby knew so many of their sounds when I quizzed him, grrr!

It's really helpful when they post the males and females side by side, esp. when they look so different from each other, as in the Indigo Bunting.

Screenshot 2026-07-10 at 9.59.46 PM.png

The Cornell Ornithology Lab is one of the many great things about Ithaca, New York.

Screenshot 2026-07-10 at 10.03.19 PM.png

occasionalrain · ‎03-10-2010

It was easy and the bird in question is a Scarlet Tanager.

Bonkers1 · ‎07-29-2012

This site is fantastic. I just used it to identify a totally red bird in my area called a Summer Tanager. Thanks so much.

Pecky · ‎03-10-2010

@Ainhisg wrote:
Easier way than that...download the Merlin app, record the birds, and it will identify every one by their calls. You can also upload a pic of the bird from your phone, and it will identify the bird and show you the male, female, and juvenile.

@Ainhisg Is it free?