It's a dream come true – there's finally an app for identifying bird sounds. In the next episode of The Warblers podcast, we’ll explore the Merlin Bird ID app’s new Sound ID feature and how artificial intelligence is redefining birding. We talk with Drew Weber and Jody Allair and go deep into the implications and opportunities that this technology will bring for birds, and new as well as experienced birders. 

Drew Weber coordinates the Merlin project at the Cornell Lab, as well as some web development for eBird and Macaulay Library. He enjoys expanding Merlin Bird ID to include new regions and new features to help users identify birds, whether it's their first bird or their life list is over 5,000. He has been birding since he was a kid and loves anything with birding and technology, he combines these two things every day. @drewweber on Twitter.

Jody Allair is an avid birder and naturalist who enjoys sharing his enthusiasm for the natural world. He is the Director of Community Engagement at Birds Canada and has written numerous articles on birds, birding and connecting with nature. You can find him on Twitter and Instagram at @JodyAllair.

Please remember we would love to hear from you, let us know what you think about the podcast here or which topics you will love -> [email protected]

Download Merlin Bird ID App here - > https://merlin.allaboutbirds.org/download/

Learn all about AI powered Sound ID here 
Learn how to record and submit your bird recordings to the Macaulay Library.
Smartphone recording tips. 

Andrea Gress studied Renewable Resource Management at the University of Saskatchewan. She pivoted towards birds, after an internship in South Africa. Upon returning, she worked with Piping Plovers in Saskatchewan and now coordinates the Ontario Piping Plover Conservation Program for Birds Canada. Follow her work at @ontarioplovers

Andrés Jiménez is a Costa Rican wildlife biologist with a keen interest in snakes, frogs, birds and how human relationships are interconnected with the living world. He studied Tropical Biology in Costa Rica and has a Masters in Environmental Problem Solving from York University. He is Birds Canada's Urban Program Coordinator and you can follow him at @andresjimo 

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