英语分级阅读 · Level 2 · technology|nature|education · 约 294 词
手机识鸟App让年轻人爱上观鸟
像Merlin Bird ID这样的手机App正帮助更多年轻人通过拍照或听声识别鸟类，让观鸟变得更有趣、更简单。
Birdwatching is becoming more popular, especially among younger people. New mobile apps are helping them identify birds easily. These tools make nature more accessible and encourage people to spend time outdoors.
Merlin Bird ID is one of the most popular apps. It was created by Cornell University's Lab of Ornithology and launched in the United States in 2014. Users can take a photo or record a bird's song, and the app will tell them the species. The app uses machine learning and recordings from birdwatchers around the world to improve its accuracy. In 2026 alone, Merlin was downloaded 12 million times, bringing its total to 42 million downloads. It can now identify 11,000 bird species, compared to just 285 when it first started.
Megan Szostak, a 26-year-old birdwatcher from San Francisco, uses Merlin regularly. She says the app makes birdwatching much easier for beginners. Merlin's Sound ID tool is especially popular and has been used for 4.4 billion identifications. Many people compare it to Shazam because it recognizes bird sounds quickly.
Other apps are also growing. Birda saw a 31% increase in downloads this year. Sam Lewis, a 32-year-old software engineer from Stockport, created a new app called Lifer. Lifer turns birdwatching into a game by letting users collect virtual cards for their sightings. It also protects rare birds by hiding their exact locations during sensitive times. The app sends bird data to the Global Biodiversity Information Facility to help scientists.
Jessie Barry, director of Cornell University's Lab of Ornithology, says the goal is to keep Merlin simple and encourage people to get outside. These apps show how technology can connect people with nature and support conservation efforts. As more young people use them, birdwatching may become a lasting hobby for a new generation.
中文参考
观鸟正变得越来越流行，尤其是在年轻人中。新的手机应用程序帮助他们轻松识别鸟类。这些工具让大自然更容易接触，并鼓励人们花时间在户外。
Merlin Bird ID 是最受欢迎的应用之一。它由康奈尔大学鸟类学实验室创建，并于 2014 年在美国推出。用户可以拍照或录制鸟鸣，应用会告诉他们鸟的种类。该应用使用机器学习以及来自世界各地观鸟者的录音来提高准确性。仅在 2026 年，Merlin 就被下载了 1200 万次，总下载量达到 4200 万次。它现在可以识别 11000 种鸟类，而刚开始时只有 285 种。
26 岁的观鸟者 Megan Szostak 来自旧金山，她经常使用 Merlin。她说这款应用让初学者更容易观鸟。Merlin 的 Sound ID 工具尤其受欢迎，已被用于 44 亿次识别。许多人将其与 Shazam 相比，因为它能迅速识别鸟鸣。
其他应用也在增长。Birda 今年的下载量增长了 31%。32 岁的软件工程师 Sam Lewis 来自 Stockport，他创建了一款名为 Lifer 的新应用。Lifer 通过让用户为他们的目击收集虚拟卡片，将观鸟变成游戏。它还在敏感时期隐藏稀有鸟类的确切位置以保护它们。该应用将鸟类数据发送给全球生物多样性信息设施以帮助科学家。
康奈尔大学鸟类学实验室主任 Jessie Barry 说，目标是让 Merlin 保持简单，并鼓励人们到户外去。这些应用展示了技术如何让人们与自然联系并支持保护工作。随着更多年轻人使用它们，观鸟可能成为新一代的持久爱好。