Date: 11/25/25 6:44 pm From: Edge Wade <1edgewade...> Subject: Re: Have you heard and Merlin confirmed a bird you didn't see?
I stand corrected once again, although in this instance, being a non-techy,
I do not understand nor appreciate the relevant difference between a sound
bite and a visual rendition, thereof.
Edge Wade, born in the far side of the previous century and not educable in
some matters
Columbia, MO
<1edgewade...>
On Tue, Nov 25, 2025 at 7:23 PM Kevin Wehner <kevinwehner...> wrote:
> 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...> <KevinWehner...>*
>
> *Columbia, MO*
>
> On Tuesday, Nov 25, 2025 at 7:03 PM, Edge Wade <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...>
>
>
> On Tue, Nov 25, 2025 at 5:45 PM Mike Taylor <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...> 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...>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
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