Help Expand Merlin in India
More than 150 recordings of each bird species are needed to train Merlin to identify a species by sound, but only 20% of bird species worldwide have enough recordings in eBird and the Macaulay Library.
You can help Merlin Sound ID learn new species and expand to new areas by making sound recordings, uploading them to eBird checklists, and tagging the background species audible in the recording.

Target Species
Updated: 5 June 2025
The species below are all nearing the threshold of 150 recordings that are required to start training Merlin Sound ID to learn the species. They are listed in order of frequency, with the most commonly observed species first and least common listed last. With your help, we can reach 150+ for each species!
- Indian Pond-Heron (Ardeola grayii)
- Eastern Cattle-Egret (Ardea coromanda)
- Wire-tailed Swallow (Hirundo smithii)
- Siberian Stonechat (Common Stonechat) (Saxicola maurus)
- Ashy-crowned Sparrow-Lark (Ashy-crowned Finch-Lark) (Eremopterix griseus)
- Red Collared-Dove (Red Turtle-Dove) (Streptopelia tranquebarica)
- Tricolored Munia (Black-headed Munia) (Lonchura malacca)
- Blue-faced Malkoha (Phaenicophaeus viridirostris)
- Temminck’s Stint (Calidris temminckii)
- Bar-headed Goose (Anser indicus)
- White-eyed Buzzard (Butastur teesa)
- Brown-capped Pygmy Woodpecker (Indian Pygmy Woodpecker) (Yungipicus nanus)
- Streak-throated Swallow (Petrochelidon fluvicola)
- Tibetan Sand-Plover (Lesser Sand-Plover) (Anarhynchus atrifrons)
- White-capped Redstart (Phoenicurus leucocephalus)
- Grey-fronted Green-Pigeon (Pompadour Green-Pigeon) (Treron affinis)
- Yellow Bittern (Botaurus sinensis)
- Grey-throated Martin (Plain Martin) (Riparia chinensis)
- River Lapwing (Vanellus duvaucelii)
- Malabar Starling (Blyth’s Starling) (Sturnia blythii)
- Kalij Pheasant (Lophura leucomelanos)
- Short-toed Snake-Eagle (Circaetus gallicus)
- Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrike (Hemipus picatus)
- Crested Treeswift (Hemiprocne coronata)
- Indian Yellow Tit (Machlolophus aplonotus)
- White-bellied Sea-Eagle (Icthyophaga leucogaster)
- Yellow-crowned Woodpecker (Leiopicus mahrattensis)
- Slaty-headed Parakeet (Psittacula himalayana)
- Chestnut-bellied Nuthatch (Sitta cinnamoventris)
- Barred Buttonquail (Turnix suscitator)
- Long-tailed Minivet (Pericrocotus ethologus)
- Gray-backed Shrike (Lanius tephronotus)
- Cinnamon Bittern (Botaurus cinnamomeus)
- Blue-capped Rock-Thrush (Monticola cinclorhyncha)
- Sarus Crane (Antigone antigone)
- Lemon-rumped Warbler (Phylloscopus chloronotus)
- Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula)
- Desert Wheatear (Oenanthe deserti)
- Yellow-bellied Fantail (Chelidorhynx hypoxanthus)
- Fulvous-breasted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos macei)
- Yellow-billed Blue Magpie (Urocissa flavirostris)
- Bar-tailed Treecreeper (Certhia himalayana)
- Black-chinned Babbler (Cyanoderma pyrrhops)
- Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse (Pterocles exustus)
- Blue-bearded Bee-eater (Nyctyornis athertoni)
- Blue-fronted Redstart (Phoenicurus frontalis)
- Gray-winged Blackbird (Turdus boulboul)
- Isabelline Shrike (Lanius isabellinus)
- Brown Fish-Owl (Ketupa zeylonensis)
- Gray-headed Lapwing (Vanellus cinereus)
- Heart-spotted Woodpecker (Hemicircus canente)
- Bengal Bushlark (Plocealauda assamica)
- Malabar Woodshrike (Tephrodornis sylvicola)
- White-tailed Nuthatch (Sitta himalayensis)
- Greater Yellownape (Chrysophlegma flavinucha)
- Tickell’s Leaf Warbler (Phylloscopus affinis)
- Streaked Spiderhunter (Arachnothera magna)
- Sulphur-bellied Warbler (Phylloscopus griseolus)
- Blue-winged Minla (Actinodura cyanouroptera)
- Himalayan Black-lored Tit (Machlolophus xanthogenys)
- Rufous-bellied Niltava (Niltava sundara)
- Indochinese Roller (Black-billed Roller) (Coracias affinis)
- Rufous-gorgeted Flycatcher (Ficedula strophiata)
- Forest Wagtail (Dendronanthus indicus)
- Ashy-throated Warbler (Phylloscopus maculipennis)
- Striated Babbler (Argya earlei)
- European Roller (Coracias garrulus)
- Black-throated Sunbird (Aethopyga saturata)
- Oriental Cuckooshrike (Coracina javensis)
- Beautiful Sibia (Heterophasia pulchella)
- Indian Nuthatch (Sitta castanea)
- White-throated Bulbul (Alophoixus flaveolus)
- Chestnut-tailed Minla (Bar-throated Siva) (Actinodura strigula)
- Great Thick-knee (Great Stone-curlew) (Esacus recurvirostris)
- Rusty-fronted Barwing (Actinodura egertoni)
- Slaty-blue Flycatcher (Ficedula tricolor)
- Black-winged Cuckooshrike (Lalage melaschistos)
- Crested Bunting (Emberiza lathami)
- Great Myna (Acridotheres grandis)
- Lesser Racket-tailed Drongo (Dicrurus remifer)
- White-bellied Blue Flycatcher (Cyornis pallidipes)
- Stripe-throated Yuhina (Yuhina gularis)
- Isabelline Wheatear (Oenanthe isabellina)
- Ashy Bulbul (Hemixos flavala)
- Himalayan Prinia (Striated Prinia) (Prinia crinigera)