In the digital age, your smartphone can be a powerful tool for birdwatching enthusiasts. With the right techniques and apps, you can capture high-quality bird recordings and contribute to global birdwatching databases like eBird. This guide will walk you through the process of recording bird sounds using your smartphone, ensuring you make the most of this innovative approach to birdwatching.
The key to successful bird recording lies in using the right apps and settings. The Merlin Bird ID app from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology is a popular choice, offering a Sound ID feature that records in high-quality .WAV format. Other apps like Voice Record Pro for iOS and RecForge II for Android also support .WAV recordings, providing you with the flexibility to choose the app that best suits your needs.
Mastering the art of bird recording
To capture the best bird recordings, it’s essential to use good recording techniques. Your smartphone is designed to pick up loud sounds close to the microphone, but bird sounds are often soft and distant. Here are some tips to help you get the best results:
- Focus on a single bird Choose one bird to record at a time to ensure clarity.
- Get close The closer you are to the bird, the better the recording quality.
- Position your microphone Point the microphone towards the bird and away from background noise.
- Stay still Any movement can introduce unwanted noise into your recording.
- Record for at least 30 seconds Longer recordings provide more context and better quality.
- Verify the identification Don’t rely solely on apps to identify the bird species.
For those looking to enhance their recording quality, external microphones can make a significant difference. Shotgun microphones and parabolic reflectors can be connected to your smartphone using simple cables or adapters. These highly directional microphones can capture bird sounds with remarkable clarity, elevating your recordings to a professional level.
Uploading your recordings to eBird
Starting in August 2026, the eBird mobile app now accepts audio files from Merlin and other recording apps. This feature allows you to add your recordings directly to your checklist before uploading. Here’s how to do it:
- Create an eBird checklist Make sure the appropriate checklist is open in the eBird Mobile app.
- Share the recording In Merlin, open a Sound ID Session, tap the share icon, and choose eBird.
- Follow the prompts Choose the focal species, trim the recording to focus on the bird, and add notes about the recording.
- Repeat for other recordings You can add more than one recording per species if you record multiple birds or different call types.
If you prefer to upload your recordings from your computer, you can back up your files and upload them via the eBird website. Before uploading, make sure to follow the guidelines for preparing your sound files, including removing handling noise at the beginning and end of the recording.
Optimizing your recording settings
If you’re using a different recording app, it’s important to check your settings. Here are some key settings to consider:
- File type Always select .WAV an uncompressed file format that provides better quality than compressed files like .MP3s and .M4As.
- Recording quality Set this to the highest possible option, preferably a sample rate of 48 kHz and a bit depth of 32 bits.
- Channels Choose mono, as most phones are only able to record audio in mono.
- Automatic gain control Turn off AGC to control the record level manually.
- Noise reduction or AI Avoid any settings labeled suppression, noise reduction, enhance, or AI.
By following these guidelines and using the right techniques, you can transform your smartphone into a powerful tool for capturing and sharing bird sounds. Whether you’re a seasoned birdwatcher or a beginner, these tips will help you enhance your birdwatching experience and contribute valuable data to global birdwatching databases.
