Identifying birds, animals, and other things, in photos

[-ST-]

Here's how I want to identify an image I find online. (a couple of quick and dirty videos)
in Google Chrome

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

youtu.be

in Microsoft Edge

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

youtu.be

Both Google Search and Microsoft Bing Search have visual searches that allow you to drag an image from your hard drive into the search tool.
In Google click the little camera at the right end of the search box.
More details https://support.google.com/websearch/answer/1325808?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform=Desktop

In Bing Search click the little square with a dot in it, at the right end of the search box.
More details https://www.bing.com/visualsearch


You can also use Merlin for birds, but I find using the visual search method work well for all kinds of things like animals, plants, objects, things you can't figure out by looking, even the location of landscape pictures. You can also find places where your images have been used.

I used the image in Gary's post for the videos. I hope that's okay.

Birds - A few shots I believe these are lapwings

I believe these are lapwings a first for me so please correct me if I am wrong

www.alphashooters.com

 

[iamdlewis]

Google is too inaccurate since it doesn't take into consideration the location or date info. Even if both options are not sure Merlin will give you the range details and likelihood details for each option presented, Google doesn't give you any of that.
Take this bird:

• ILCE-1
• Sony FE 200–600mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS (SEL200600G)
• 391.0 mm
• ƒ/6.3
• 1/400 sec
• ISO 400

With Google you get 8 options with the #1 being off by about 2500 miles, with Merlin you get 1.

Then there is this:

• ILCE-7RM4
• Sony FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 GM OSS (SEL100400GM)
• 400.0 mm
• ƒ/8
• 1/800 sec
• ISO 200

Merlin gives you that this is either a Common Loon or a Red-Throated Loon (correct one) and Google gives you Common Loon and Yellow-Billed Loon (which per ebird has not ever been spotted within 500 miles of where this photo was taken).

Forget getting birds right if there are many that are similar when using Google. Here is an example of the issue. The sample images of this bird they are showing to base the results they gave (which I am pretty sure is just based off my file name) are not the bird that they say this is (1 for 11).

I checked and yes it uses your file name in determining the bird as it calls this a Thistletail which is kind of like saying Wren. It is a Mouse-Colored Thistletail (1 of 4 types found in the area I was in).

• ILCE-1
• Sony FE 200–600mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS (SEL200600G)
• 600.0 mm
• ƒ/6.3
• 1/640 sec
• ISO 8000

This Google calls a Feral Parrot, which is in fact a Scarlet-Fronted Parakeet, not to be confused with a Puerto Rican Parrot or a Red-Masked Parakeet or an El Oro Parakeet or an Orange-Fronted Parakeet. Merlin because of the location data gave options of Scarlet-Fronted Parakeet and Red-Masked Parakeet as they are the only ones located in that area.

• ILCE-1
• Sony FE 200–600mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS (SEL200600G)
• 600.0 mm
• ƒ/6.3
• 1/640 sec
• ISO 400

 

[-ST-]

Hi, David.

Google is too inaccurate since it doesn't take into consideration the location or date info. Even if both options are not sure Merlin will give you the range details and likelihood details for each option presented, Google doesn't give you any of that.
Take this bird:
View attachment 35004

With Google you get 8 options with the #1 being off by about 2500 miles, with Merlin you get 1.

Then there is this:
View attachment 35005
Merlin gives you that this is either a Common Loon or a Red-Throated Loon (correct one) and Google gives you Common Loon and Yellow-Billed Loon (which per ebird has not ever been spotted within 500 miles of where this photo was taken).

Forget getting birds right if there are many that are similar when using Google. Here is an example of the issue. The sample images of this bird they are showing to base the results they gave (which I am pretty sure is just based off my file name) are not the bird that they say this is (1 for 11).

View attachment 35008

I checked and yes it uses your file name in determining the bird as it calls this a Thistletail which is kind of like saying Wren. It is a Mouse-Colored Thistletail (1 of 4 types found in the area I was in).
View attachment 35009

This Google calls a Feral Parrot, which is in fact a Scarlet-Fronted Parakeet, not to be confused with a Puerto Rican Parrot or a Red-Masked Parakeet or an El Oro Parakeet or an Orange-Fronted Parakeet. Merlin because of the location data gave options of Scarlet-Fronted Parakeet and Red-Masked Parakeet as they are the only ones located in that area.
View attachment 35010

I wasn't dismissing Merlin. It may be more accurate, especially because it takes into consideration the location and date.
Using Google, Bing or any search tool, you have to be willing to look at the results with critical thought and investigate further.
I use the visual search tools in Google and Edge all the time for lots of things, so I tend to use them first. If they don't give me results that make sense (e.g., wrong part of the world), or I just want to know more, then I'll use Merlin.

Thanks for those insights. I'll probably use Merlin more often.