BirdNet Pi - Birding with AI
Identify birds yourself, collect nature data, and contribute to biodiversity – all with your own smart listening station.
About this project
BirdNET-Pi
What is that?
BirdNET-Pi is an open-source AI project that automatically recognizes bird sounds through audio analysis.
It runs on the BirdNET model, developed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology in collaboration with Chemnitz University of Technology.
The software is designed to run on a simple and affordable computer: the Raspberry Pi — a device no larger than a credit card.
Such a Raspberry Pi typically costs between forty and one hundred euros, depending on the model. The more powerful the model, the higher the price. Thanks to this affordability, virtually anyone with a small budget can participate in bird research.
How does it work?
Once you install BirdNET-Pi on a Raspberry Pi and connect a microphone, your setup transforms into a smart listening station. The microphone captures sounds from the environment day and night. These sound fragments are automatically scanned by the AI model, which is trained to recognize thousands of bird species based on their songs and calls.
You don't need to analyze anything manually: the system recognizes the birds, records time and location (if you enable it), and displays the results in a clear interface viewable through your browser — right from your smartphone or laptop.
And the best part: you retain full control over your data. You can store your observations locally or voluntarily share them with the BirdNET database to support global biodiversity research.
About the Project
Meet the Makers and Developers
BirdNET-Pi: Software and Project
The project BirdNET‑Pi was originally created by GitHub user mcguirepr89 as a real-time, Raspberry Pi‑based system using the TensorFlow Lite version of BirdNET
Current development is actively maintained and expanded by Nachtzuster, who took over the original repository and updated it with support for Raspberry Pi 5, new models, a modern web UI, backup functionality, and optimizations for performance and stability
Model development (BirdNET itself)
The underlying neural networks (the BirdNET models) were developed through a scientific collaboration between:
K. Lisa Yang Center for Conservation Bioacoustics at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, and
Chemnitz University of Technology, Department of Media Informatics.
This institution built the original BirdNET framework and trained the models that power applications like BirdNET Sound ID, BirdWeather, and BirdNET-Pi
Join in!
Want to spot birds with AI but lack technical skills? No problem!
Want to participate in this wonderful project but don't know how to start? No worries! With the ECZ BirdNET PI Watch House, you don't need to configure or build anything yourself. We've set everything up for you.
You connect the system, and it immediately starts listening to the birds in your surroundings. It couldn't be easier.
Watch House Basic
€ 99,- per stuk
Een laagdrempelige start voor iedereen die nieuwsgierig is naar de vogels om zich heen. Compact, betaalbaar en perfect voor op het balkon, in de tuin of als educatief project op school.
- Raspberry Pi 3B+
- 32GB microSD-kaart (met voorgeïnstalleerde BirdNET-Pi)
- USB-microfoon (compact model)
- Houten weerbestendige behuizing
- 5V 3A voeding met micro-USB
- Basisconfiguratie voor Wi-Fi verbinding
Watch House Plus
€ 135,- per stuk
Voor wie nét wat meer wil: sneller, krachtiger en klaar voor uitbreiding. Ideaal voor grotere tuinen, volkstuinen of als serieus hobbyproject voor de echte liefhebber.
- Raspberry Pi 4 (2GB of 4GB model, afhankelijk van voorraad en keuze)
- 64GB microSD-kaart (BirdNET-Pi voorgeïnstalleerd)
- USB-microfoon met verlengkabel
- Stevige houten outdoor behuizing met ventilatie
- 5V 3A USB-C voeding
- Zonnepaneel / powerbank
- Basisconfiguratie voor Wi-Fi verbinding
- Geschikt als vogelhuis
Watch House Field Pro
€ 225,- per stuk
Volledig zelfstandig en gebouwd voor de buitenwereld. Perfect voor afgelegen plekken zonder stroom of wifi – van natuurgebieden tot langdurige observaties en professioneel veldonderzoek.
- Raspberry Pi 4 (4GB of 8GB model)
- 128GB microSD-kaart met BirdNET-Pi
- USB-microfoon met verlengkabel
- Houten weerbestendige behuizing
- 5V 3A voeding met micro-USB
- Zonnepaneel (10W – 20W, afhankelijk van beschikbaarheid)
- Slimme powerbank (10.000mAh – 20.000mAh met zonne-oplaadfunctie)
- Basisconfiguratie voor Wi-Fi verbinding
- 4G/LTE USB-modem (simlockvrij)
- 1 jaar 4G mobiel 10 GB /maand via EasyVoice Telecom voor € 15 /maand
- Geschikt als vogelhuis
Let op: De vermelde prijzen zijn richtprijzen. Ze kunnen iets variëren afhankelijk van de beschikbaarheid van onderdelen en eventuele gewenste upgrades.
Dit is een non-profit initiatief – we maken geen winst op dit product.
We proberen huisjes te gebruiken met FSC-keurmerk!
Alle systemen worden geleverd gebruiksklaar, inclusief:
– Installatie van de BirdNET-Pi software
– Volledige configuratie en test
– Een duidelijke handleiding
De fysieke plaatsing van het systeem (zoals montage of kabels trekken) is niet inbegrepen. Wilt u dat wij dit voor u verzorgen? Dat kan tegen ons standaard uurtarief. Bent u Plus-klant, dan geldt uiteraard uw voordelige Plus-tarief.
Are you tech-savvy?
Build it yourself?
Fun and educational!
Do you have some technical knowledge or want to craft? Then building your own BirdNET-Pi system is a super great project. With a few affordable parts and some time, you can put together your own smart birdwatcher yourself.
You will need:
A Raspberry Pi (model four or five works best)
A USB microphone
A microSD card of at least thirty-two gigabytes
Internet connection via Wi-Fi or Ethernet
(Optional) a housing for outdoor use
The open source software is on GitHub and is freely available. You flash Raspberry PI OS (formerly Rasbian) Lite on your SD card, run the BirdNET-Pi installation command, connect everything, and your system starts listening.
Ideal for those who like to keep control themselves and want to learn new things.
View the installation guide on GitHub
Are you not sure during the installation? Then we are ready to help you.
Bekijk onze BirdNet PI
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