Everything you might want to know about BirdTRX

What is BirdTRX?

BirdTRX is a bird watching app for Android that combines bird song identification with a proper field journal. It identifies birds by their song using BirdNET — the model developed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology — running entirely on your phone, so it works offline.

Beyond identification, it keeps a dated, located, weather-stamped diary of your sightings, builds your life list automatically, and exports your records to eBird and BirdTrack. It's built for birders in the UK, and it's free to use.

Does BirdTRX work offline?

Yes. Bird song identification runs entirely on your phone using an on-device BirdNET model, so it works with no internet connection or mobile signal — useful in woodland, on trails, and in remote areas.

After a one-time model download of about 260 MB, identification needs no connection. Some extras such as map links and live weather use the internet when it's available, but the core identification is fully offline.

How does BirdTRX identify birds by song?

BirdTRX uses BirdNET, an artificial neural network developed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Chemnitz University of Technology, to recognise birds from their calls and song. You tap record, point your phone towards the bird, and species appear in real time with a confidence score for each.

You then confirm which detections you actually heard, and they're saved to your journal entry. The identification runs on the phone itself rather than on a server.

What makes BirdTRX different from Merlin or BirdNET?

Merlin and the official BirdNET app are primarily identifiers — they tell you what bird you heard. BirdTRX uses the same BirdNET technology for identification, but is built around keeping records: every sighting becomes a rich journal entry with date, time, location and weather, your life list grows automatically, and you can export to eBird and BirdTrack.

In short, identification is where BirdTRX starts, rather than where it stops. It's designed for birders who want to keep a lasting diary of their birding, not just identify a bird and move on.

Is BirdTRX free?

Yes — BirdTRX is free to download and use, including bird song identification and journal keeping. There's an optional premium tier that unlocks additional features, but the core app is free.

Which birds can BirdTRX identify?

BirdTRX uses the BirdNET model, which covers thousands of species worldwide. It applies a location-aware filter so the species suggested are those plausible for where you are, which improves accuracy for UK birders. It's designed and tested with UK and European birds in mind.

Can I export my bird records to eBird or BirdTrack?

Yes. BirdTRX can export your sightings in a format suitable for eBird and BirdTrack, so the records you keep in the app can contribute to citizen science and to the national recording schemes. Your field trips are recorded with the effort details — such as duration and location — that these schemes use.

Does BirdTRX respect my privacy?

Yes. Bird song identification happens on your device, so your recordings aren't sent to a server to be identified, and your journal and records are kept on your phone. BirdTRX is built to be private by design.

Who made BirdTRX?

BirdTRX is made by GoRa Pastimes, an independent developer in Scotland. It's built by a birder, for birders, and uses BirdNET from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology for its song identification.

What devices does BirdTRX run on?

BirdTRX is available for Android phones via Google Play. It's designed to work in the field, including offline, on a normal smartphone.