App set to help birdwatchers identify species based on song

For the most ardent of birdwatchers, the inability to discern the chirpings of a lesser redpoll from a corn bunting presents a deeply frustrating dilemma.

On the other hand, those of us less well versed in deciphering the multitudes of avian frequencies are content to tell the difference between a duck’s quack and an owl’s hoot.

Naturists with even a passing interest in the world of winged creatures will be intrigued to hear of an app that it is claimed identifies different types of birds singing in an area through the built-in audio equipment of the user’s phone.

Chirpomatic works along the same principle as music apps like Shazam by isolating individual birdsong and to what species it belongs.

Using a 20-second recording, the free iPhone instalment analyses and provides images of the bird, along with other identifying information.

Indeed, the developers already have a vested interest in the world of warbling, having previously released the Chirp! app, which can translate certain bird communications into human language.

"Developing an effective automatic identifier for bird sounds is a huge technical challenge," said Dr Hilary Wilson, a zoologist who helped build Chirpomatic.

Varied repertoire

“Human hearing is marvellous and can pick out a bird from in amongst other sounds even if it’s a distance away, but a microphone records everything. On top of that, birds have a very varied repertoire of songs and calls.

“Recognising which bird is singing is like using speech recognition to pick out voices in a crowd.”

Due to be released on Friday, it will be the latest entrant to a growing market of animal identification apps, of which there is a particularly diverse selection for bird enthusiasts.

The idea for Chirpomatic follows in the wake of a similar app called Cicada Hunt. Cicada differentiates between species of insects based on the sounds they emit.

Developments such as Chirpomatic and Cicada Hunt also contribute to research efforts for biologists attempting to monitor the numbers and distribution of different types of animals.