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Can someone recommend a good birding app? (1 Viewer)

bruno_paulsen

New member
I am new to the forum and would like to start my first thread:
A few weeks ago I took part in a birdwatching workshop in Portugal and I absolutely loved it! Now, after my return to Germany, I would like to go out and try birdwatching there.

I have already bought a pair of binoculars - now I still need a tool for specifying the birds. Can anyone recommend a good app? I don't feel like carrying a heavy book around with me all the time...
 
Welcome to BirdForum, Bruno. I would recommend the Collins Bird Guide app. This is the best identification guide for Europe. There's also the Merlin Bird ID app, which is very useful for identifying birds if you have a photo.
 
Moin Bruno,

I am new to the forum and would like to Can anyone recommend a good app? I don't feel like carrying a heavy book around with me all the time...

Andrew already recommended the Collins Bird Guide app ... I fully agree with him, but would like to point out that here in Germany, it's sold as "Kosmos Vogelführer von Lars Svensson, Kilian Mullarney & Dan Zetterström".

Another good one that's actually free is the Nabu Vogelwelt app. Of course, it can't compete with the Collins/Kosmos app, but for a free app, the quality is really very good.

Viel Spaß,

Henning
 
The Merlin app can be used with or without a photo. There is a Bird ID section where you are asked a few questions (location, relative size, colours, what it was doing etc) and it offers suggestions. It can also be used as a field guide as you can scroll through the birds too. Once installed you need to download and install a 'pack' which is best suited to your location Europe-Western is probably all you'll need (or even Western Palearctic which will give you similar species to the Collins app).
 
I too have the Collins Bird app. Another is Ornithopedia Europe which is free and in several languages including German. It has plenty of features such photos, songs and calls, and links to Wikipedia articles if you are online. It took so long for an android version of the Collins to be produced, that I went down the Ornothopedia route on my phone and tablet; and then downloaded the android version of Collins later on. This may sound like heresy, but am not sure that I don't prefer it to the Collins.

Although it is an android app, using Appkiwi or Bluestacks it can be downloaded onto a PC or mac. Just google Ornithopedia Europe for PC.

Colin
 
PS Paradoxically, I am unable to download Collins Bird Guide to my PC using Bluestacks - another reason for Ornithopedia Europe.

Colin
 
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