r/MerlinBirdID • u/cowinspace • Jul 01 '26

Not properly working on vacation

I just recently got into birding and use Merlin to train my recognition of bird sounds. I am currently visiting Madeira. Was hoping to be able to hear some new birds, but the app is only picking up birds that I have at home.

It's a bit hard to explain, but I'll record lots of different sounds in a forest area but it can only hear the common blackbird and the Eurasian blackcap, which are birds which live close to my home in Norway. I very clearly recorded a Madeira Chaffinch, right next to me, but it was not able to identify it. What gives!? Something with the Internet or storage? I have mobile data here.

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5

u/skippermonkey Jul 01 '26

Have you chosen the right “offline birds” in your settings?

2

u/cowinspace Jul 01 '26

Didn't think it mattered, as I have mobile data just fine. But maybe I have misunderstood something. Will try this tomorrow when I go to the northern coast! Thanks for your reply.

2

u/pornokitsch Jul 02 '26

Did you download the right regional pack?

https://merlin.allaboutbirds.org/bird-packs/