Date: 5/5/25 6:02 am From: Paul Glass (via carolinabirds Mailing List) <carolinabirds...> Subject: Re[2]: Merlin app vs. Mockingbird
Also, this may seem like semantics, but it's an important distinction,
Merlin does not make identifications. Merlin gives suggestions. It's
up to the user to make an identification.
Paul Glass
South Boston, VA
------ Original Message ------
From "Steve" <sshultz...>
To "scompton1251" <scompton1251...>
Cc "Carolina Birds" <carolinabirds...>
Date 5/5/2025 8:42:45 AM
Subject Re: Merlin app vs. Mockingbird
>Absolutely! I love Merlin, and often recommend it to folks getting
>interested in birding, but I always give the big caveat that it’s right
>90% of the time.
>
> I was doing an introduction to birding walk at work recently and was
>demonstrating Merlin. It was actually a really good example because it
>said there was a Gadwall (right there in the middle of the woods!)
>
>I do see sometimes that folks submit bird lists to eBird based on
>Merlin identifications, which I would always caution against, and not
>saying you’re doing this, just using this as a platform to note.
>
>For example, eBird shows that we have Worm-eating warblers breeding
>here in suburban Cary 😀 (summer records after migration)
>
>Merlin is picking up Chipping Sparrow and folks are submitting based on
>what Merlin says.
>
>Steve Shultz
>
>
>>On May 5, 2025, at 8:33 AM, scompton1251 <scompton1251...>
>>wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>>Birders
>>
>>Just now on my deck my Merlin app identified about 7 species from
>>sound, including a Swainson's Warbler. I am .7 miles from our swamp
>>and have not heard one there yet this Spring. A Mockingbird is singing
>>his catalogue
>>of birdsong. Could Merlin have taken an imitation to be the real
>>thing?
>>
>>Thanks,
>>Steve Compton
>>On new ground in Dorchester, SC.
>>
>>Sent from my Galaxy
>>
