Word on the TWEET: 'Shazam for birds' app lets you identify birdsong in real-time
- Warblr is capable of recognising the song of 88 bird species
- Like Shazam, it works by recording nearby noises on smartphones
- Warblr will map which species are spotted where and when
- This will allow public to track migration patterns and monitor species
- The app will be released in spring and will cost £1.99 ($3.20)
Just in time for spring, scientists hope to launch a 'Shazam for birds' that will help people identify the tweets that are waking them up in the morning.
The app, dubbed Warblr, claims to be able to recognise the song of 88 bird species, and could help track their migration patterns.
Like Shazam, it works by recording nearby noises on smartphones to analyse it in real-time and identify the bird species according to its tweets.
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Just in time for spring, scientists hope to launch a 'Shazam for birds' that will help people find out which birds are waking you up in the morning. The app, dubbed Warblr, claims to be able to recognise the song of 88 bird species, and could help track their migration patterns
Whenever the app identifies a bird, geo-tracking allows it to map which species is being spotted where and when, with the information made public.
The information will be made publicly available to allow zoologists and ecologists monitor species growth and decline, as well as patterns of migration.
The app, developed by two scientists using a grant from Queen Mary University of London, is currently raising funding for development on Kickstarter.
At the time of writing, the campaign has raised £3,290 ($5,300) towards its £50,000 ($80,570) goal.
Whenever the app identifies a bird, geo-tracking allows it to map which species are being spotted where and when, with the information made public. Pictured on the left is a bluethroat and on the right a bee eater
After recording the bird song, the app returns a list of the most likely results, with percentage indicating their levels of likelihood.
However, initial test with the BBC found that the app still needs to iron out some problems. For instance, Warblr struggled to distinguish between a canada goose and screaming child.
In the first test, the app recorded a canada goose, but interference from a 'screaming child' caused the app to misidentify the calls as those of a crow.
The Kickstarter funding, according to the team, is to help address the app's problems which will be sold in the spring for £1.99 ($3.20).
Creator, Florence Wilkinson says her goal is 'to bring people closer to the natural world through technology' and help protect the wildlife for the future.
In the first test, the app recorded a canada goose, but interference from a 'screaming child' caused the app to misidentify the calls as those of a crow
The app, developed by two scientists using a grant from Queen Mary University of London, is currently raising funding for development on Kickstarter. At the time of writing, the campaign has raised £3,290 ($5,300) towards its £50,000 ($80,570) goal
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