I could use some help with "Merlin"

[Conjuay]

I finally broke down and bought a *smart* phone,one of the main reasons was so that I could get Cornell's Merlin app.

I was under the impression that I could record a call and be able to identify the bird making the call using this app.

(Yeah, I'm not really a birder but I am working on it)
Any way, the recording is fine, you can see the pitch changes, but the response for an ID is Merlin has no matches.
Then it tries to put the blame on me, -"Merlin couldn't determine your location so some matches may be wrong. (After including a ZIP code.)

Any ideas?
THNX

[MutantAndProud]

1. Something isn't letting it register the zip

Some kind of permission issue… not sure if that’s a problem on the programmer side that needs to be fixed with that version or what. If it’s a permission then you can go to settings, select the app, and enable the location access

[elleng]

2. Sorry, and glad I haven't bought a 'smart' phone!

[usonian]

3. Mine asks for location when it fires up.

I am fussy about location data, so I deny it in settings, and allow "once" each time it launches, and then it shares what bird packs are installed. Did you get that start-up dialog? Did you enable location data in "settings"?

If you did, then who knows what .... normally, if it doesn't use GPS (I don't know if it does) then a very close result comes from your ISP
s lines. Most networks are well known and your IP address says a ton about your location.

Cellular data? I have had interesting situations come up where an app or store guesses my location when I am on cellular data as some hub from the celllular provider, hundreds of miles away.

Interesting.
Maybe there are notes at Cornell that will help.

[Easterncedar]

4. My birder pal loves Merlin

We used it on a walk last week. Couldn’t see the birds, and it sorted out three that were singing at the same time. I was impressed.

[CrispyQ]

5. "The Big Year"

I highly recommend this movie with Steve Martin & Jack Black. Quirky, cute, & good. Good luck with your app.

[Conjuay]

6. Thanks everyone!

[LuvLoogie]

7. I think you also need to download a catalog

Of bird calls in your area. I think Merlin has various libraries.

[milestogo]

8. I used it for the first time this week.

I was in a conservancy with other birders and a lady pulled out her phone. It recorded and identified 6 different birds over the course of 2 minutes. I had to uninstall/reinstall my app when I got home and then i downloaded the birds for my region.

Now I am identifying birds everywhere I go, thanks to Merlin.