Jun. 30—Is that the tweet of a titmouse? Or the chirp of a chickadee? After you download the app Merlin Bird ID, you can use your smartphone to identify sounds and match them to the birds in trees ...

Birding is a popular pastime for people of all ages. According to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, more than 45 million people enjoy watching birds. It’s a hobby you can pick up at any time, it’s ...

This screen shot shows the Merlin app’s Sound ID feature in use, in this case showing that the best match was the Eastern meadowlark. (Cornell Lab of Ornithology./The Minnesota Star Tribune) The ...

Other than cars, the thing I hear most often at home is birds. I live in Southern California, in a relatively suburban neighborhood, outside of an even more metropolitan downtown. I don’t get the ...

I’m not a bird watcher, but I’ve become a bird listener ever since downloading a bionic ear app to my phone. It lets me enter a different world, one where I’m surrounded not just by chirping but by ...

Spring is here, and the air is full of birdsong. The Merlin Bird ID app tells you what type of birds you’re hearing … plus it’s quick, easy and free. With this software from the Cornell Lab of ...

We become desensitized to the common sounds around us—car alarms, chattering squirrels, the mechanical functions of modern living kicking on and off throughout the day. If you had asked me a week ago ...

Springtime and the world in early May is alive with birdsong before sunrise: to some, a discordant cacophony, to others, a heavenly, harmonious chorus. Gone are the days when you just grabbed your ...

I've done everything I can think of to improve my mindfulness. I've tried countless meditation apps and breathing exercises to stay in the present, and I'm always working on improving my mental health ...

I run through the many examples for this bird. Note well: When you do this — open the Sibley’s app and listen to the call — Merlin goes deaf. You will have to go back and save the most recent sound ID ...