With the suite of AI-powered apps such as Merlin and iNaturalist we are quickly able to identify birds, plants and animals. We may take online or in-person courses to learn about sparrows, shorebirds or hawks. But what does it take to actually learn and retain the knowledge that enriches our birding? This talk will be an intro to the science of learning as it applies to becoming a better birder, along with a survey of the related birding apps.
Phil Mitchell has a Ph.D. in Cognitive Psychology and is a Seattle resident and avid naturalist. He combines academic research on how best to learn with his 20+ years’ experience as a software developer to create learning apps. He is the founder and learning expert for the app “Larkwire” which helps birders learn bird sounds, visual ID, and bird topography.