750,000 Euros in federal funding for further development of the successful bird calling app BirdNET

The BirdNET mobile app, one of the most popular and successful apps for recognizing bird calls, was developed at Chemnitz University of Technology. In 2021, the development team led by Dr. Stefan Kahl from Chemnitz University of Technology’s Professorship of Media Informatics (Head: Prof. Dr. Maximilian Eibl) celebrated one million downloads. Kahl’s team recorded its 100 millionth observation this year. The app and its algorithm will now be completely redesigned. Stefan Kahl received approximately 750,000 euros in funding from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research for the BirdNET+ project. The funds will be distributed over three years.

“We discovered that there is a significant need to identify other animal species, not just birds,” Stefan Kahl says. As a result, he says, a portion of the project will focus on further developing the algorithm-based recognition system. “Furthermore, we would like to make our recognition algorithm available for use in professional and occupational settings. This includes applications in ecotourism and planning offices that want to get an overview of the animal species on site before beginning construction projects,” explains Kahl.

Furthermore, the team is planning various detail adjustments. These include optimizing the algorithm for low-energy hardware, allowing for the recognition of animal voices even on small external recorders. In addition, the new project entails fundamental scientific support for the app. Kahl and his team want to know why certain bird calls, such as those of owls, are not adequately recognized.

For further information, please contact Dr. Stefan Kahl, tel. +49 371 531-32219, e-mail [email protected]