Date: 11/25/25 5:23 pm From: Kevin Wehner <kevinwehner...> Subject: Re: Have you heard and Merlin confirmed a bird you didn't see?
Actually, Merlin isn't loaded with sound bites. Instead it uses the visual spectrogram to identify a species. The below is from an eBird support page.
How does Sound ID work?
Different bird species' voices make different shapes and patterns on spectrograms - the visual representation of sound that you see scrolling across the top of the screen when you use Sound ID. Using machine learning technology, Merlin is trained to recognize these different shapes and patterns and identify them to species.
--
Kevin Wehner
<KevinWehner...>
Columbia, MO
> On Tuesday, Nov 25, 2025 at 7:03 PM, Edge Wade <1edgewade...> (mailto:<1edgewade...>)> wrote:
> Mike is correct. I used the wrong word in saying Merlin "confirms" anything. Merlin only indicates a probable source based on the sound bites that have been loaded into it. Heck, Merlin can't tell my poor imitation of a Barred Owl from the one with feathers, so how can we expect it to be 100% correct when confronted by a superb feathered imitator?
>
> Oh, and just for the fun of it, look up Superb Starling and see one of the more colorful starling cousins. Maybe we're fortunate it wasn't the one brought to North America--people would have been confusing it with American Robins from day one.
>
> Edge Wade
> Columbia, MO
> <1edgewade...> (mailto:<1edgewade...>)
>
>
> On Tue, Nov 25, 2025 at 5:45 PM Mike Taylor <3catacres...> (mailto:<3catacres...>)> wrote:
> > To be pedantic and also to emphasize Edge’s point: Merlin does not confirm sightings. It offers “Best suggestions.” It is still up to you, the birder, to confirm.
> >
> > I hope everyone sees more birds than just turkey this Thursday. :)
> >
> > Mike Taylor
> > Bollinger County
> >
> >
> > > On Nov 25, 2025, at 10:16 AM, Edge Wade <1edgewade...> (mailto:<1edgewade...>)> wrote:
> > >
> > >
> > > Birders, beware! European Starlings are superb imitators.
> > >
> > > If you think you hear a bird out of its expected season in Missouri, but do not see it, and/or Merlin indicates a bird detected that normally should no longer be present in Missouri, think twice (or more) before including it on your checklist.
> > >
> > > Look around you, are there starlings present? Starlings have been known to imitate phoebes, pee wees, and many, many more species.
> > >
> > > If you don't know when a bird is expected to have left Missouri, excellent bar charts showing the expected presence of species are the heart of the MDC publication, "Enjoying Missouri's Birds".
> > >
> > > See. https://mdc.mo.gov/magazines/free-publications to order your free copy. The publication number is ID: W00007.
> > >
> > > Bodacious, informed birding!
> > >
> > > Edge Wade
> > > Columbia, MO
> > > <1edgewade...> (mailto:<1edgewade...>)
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
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> The Missouri Birding Society's Wild Bird Discussion Forum
> Archives (https://lists.umsystem.edu/scripts/wa-UMS.exe?A0=MOBIRDS-L) / Subscription options (https://lists.umsystem.edu/SCRIPTS/wa-UMS.exe/wa?SUBED1=mobirds-l&A=1) / MBS Website (http://mobirds.org) / Email the list owners (mailto:<mobirds-l-request...>)
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> ABA Birding Code of Ethics (http://www.aba.org/about/ethics.html)
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> MBS Spring Meeting: 125th Anniversary - May 1-3, 2026, Drury Plaza Hotel, Chesterfield, MO
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