To identify birds when the Bird ID setting is dynamic, AX Visio uses a modified version of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology tool Merlin bird IDan extensive bird database. The Binocular Mammal ID, Butterfly ID, and Dragonfly ID settings are supported by Sunbird Database. However, while mammals and flying insects can currently only be identified in Europe and North America, Bird ID software works everywhere – even in Antarctica.
Identification apps apply a combination of image recognition and geolocation, enabled by a built-in GPS sensor that tells the software where you are. This can aid narrow down the species you’re likely looking at.
Looking
I am a bird watching enthusiast and I had the opportunity to test AX Visio in the field at and Beyond Phinda Private Game Reserve in South Africa. (Swarovski took me there to field test the binoculars.) Visitors to the reserve can currently rent binoculars for $40 a day, with proceeds going to fund local conservation projects.
Initially, I was overwhelmed by using technology-driven binoculars; I was afraid that it would be hard to master the camera and identify species. Fortunately, they are quite user-friendly. There is a mode dial on the bridge of the binoculars that you can easily turn to switch between AX Visio settings, including bird, mammal, butterfly and dragonfly species identification modes. There is also a photo mode, which uses the built-in camera to take a photo, and other settings.
For proper identification, the binoculars must be held steady and focused properly so that the imaging system can obtain a clear image of the animal. When you point your binoculars at a bird, a red circle appears in your field of view, and as long as the animal fills most of that circle, it is close enough to be identified. Press the raised button on the top of the binoculars and after a few seconds the creature’s name will appear on the screen.
I was impressed that the binoculars accurately identified very miniature birds. AX Visio correctly identified a 5-inch item malachite kingfisher which was clearly apparent on a branch above the water 30 meters away. Then I noticed the 9-inch length bee eater camouflaged in a tree 100 meters away, but the AX Visio was too far away to identify the bird. What was frustrating was that sometimes the bird would be clearly apparent in the red circle, but the binoculars would display an error message saying there was no bird to identify.