With those eight words, Amazon’s voice-activated assistant gives you one of the sweetest songs on the planet.
With that, youre whisked away to a beach in Monterrey, where plovers scurry between dune and wave.
That’s the kind of effect Ed Norris wanted when he designed the Audubon Bird Songs Alexa skill. The software architect, who splits his time between Ohio and Kentucky, loves to study birds on his fishing and camping trips. Hearing the species’ voices, he says, helps pull him back to those places.
Which is where Alexa comes in. At first, Norris used the technology to fetch sounds from Google searches—but the results weren’t always accurate. So, he decided to cut out the middleman by “teaching” Alexa to link common species names back to the Audubon Guide to North American Birds. The National Audubon Society went all in on the offer, granting him access to thousands of clips recorded by Lang Elliott and his crew. It took Norris about a week to program the commands; refining them, however, took months.
Here’s how the call-and-response system works. Norris recreated the Audubon song library within the Alexa universe and built a custom skill to read any “ask Audubon” request. The software then accesses Amazon’s Cloud-based services, pulling the correct audio for Alexa to broadcast through an Echo or Dot device.
Of course, this all happens in a fraction of a second, so the user experience is simple and streamlined. All a bird enthusiast has to do is say, “Alexa, ask Audubon to play [insert common species name]“ or “Alexa, ask Audubon what a [insert common species name] sounds like.” If there are multiple calls and songs, Alexa will rotate through when told to “play the next one.”
The rate of success is high, Norris says, but there are some variables. To start, Alexa needs to get accustomed to the owner’s voice and dialect (this can be done by reading off a standard list of phrases during setup). Norris also taught the software to pick up 69 different utterances, which means there’s some leeway in how the commands can be given. Finally, there are a few bird names that are hard to translate: Northern Saw-whet Owl, Pyrruhloxia, and even Snowy Plover may be met with an awkward Alexa silence. To tackle those species, dictate each word slowly (even robots have a slight learning curve).
For his part, Norris is tracking every delivery from the Audubon library to log any errors and misses. And when he’s not improving the skill, he reaps its rewards by having Alexa recreate the chatter from the three feeders in his yard. “I hope people can use this tool to learn that communication in the bird world is a lot larger than they realize,” Norris says. Alexa, can we get an amen?
Devices Like Amazon Echo Give Parrots Music On Demand
For many, music is as necessary part of the day as the air is to breathe. It has many intended effects but is usually sought after for a calming effect. Much has been written on the quality of music for pets. But birds especially seem to take to it with a similar zest that humans do. And although the intents and purposes of such bird attraction to music can be reflected by birdsong for pairing and communication, it’s evident that birds do respond to music, perhaps appreciably. If you, as a bird owner, or as a backyard bird enthusiast, find that your birds are positively responding to music, then this article is definitely for you.
In a recent study, two parrots were given access to designed selectable jukeboxes allowing for the playback of songs. The purpose was to discover if a bird had a preference that they’d return to if given opportunities. For this study, the two parrots used touch screens to choose songs that they preferred. As a result, the birds chose their own favorites some 1,400 times between them within the span of a month. (After writing this information within a previous article, I received responses asking where such a jukebox might be available, hence the motivation to write this article.)
Some owners have Amazon’s Echo (and the less expensive Echo Dot), now known as Alexa, as a service device that can perform a range of informational and enabled tasks. Others have Google Home devices. AI assistants from Apple and Microsoft are available through software; they haven’t yet been added to a device like Alexa or Home, but that will probably happen soon. Some owners of birds that can mimic human speech have noticed that some of these amazing and clever birds have become adept at using these gadgets. And stories are abounding. As a matter of fact, some parrots have placed orders on Amazon, and one parrot can even call his owner. Some birds have become accustomed to using Alexa for interesting purposes, such as playing music on demand.
One nice feature of the more recent and adaptable Alexa and Home devices is their capacity to play back a requested song. If you already know that your bird has a favorite song—or ten—then a few easy training activities might help them learn to “ask” Alexa or Home to play those songs on demand. It goes without saying that you would need to sign up for a music streaming service (Pandora Premium, Google Play, Tidal, Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube Music). However, with enough time and the songs they seem to like, your bird may eventually be able to amuse themselves musically for however long they choose. (If you’re worried that your birds might place orders, you can access safeguards to stop your irrational loved one(s) from making unauthorized purchases.) ).
With a little research and exploration, you should be able to find more than enough information and resources to set up a parrot-friendly music service that — with some training — could provide your bird with enjoyable music preferences for as long as he or she remains interested in the ability to select music. As technology advances, it’s probable that some enterprising entrepreneur might even create a specific unit just for this purpose. Rocco, the UK African Grey Parrot has famously learned how to use Alexa to his advantages. He’s ordered food items, a kettle, and light bulbs, among other things. But Rocco has also used Alexa to playback some of his favorite songs, especially those by the Foo Fighters, and Kings of Leon. Rocco likes his tunes fast and rockin’!
A steady stream of calming music at low volumes can be found via experimentation and strategically placed weatherproof Bluetooth speakers for backyard birdwatchers who would rather create a sustainable habitat for birds. Naturally, you wouldn’t want to annoy your neighbors by playing loud music a la “We Will Rock You.” However, listening to soothing classical music on low volume may be beneficial. Experimentation is a key to success in this endeavor. categories.
Although there are certain variables, Norris claims that the success rate is high. Alexa must first become used to the owner’s voice and dialect; during setup, this can be accomplished by reading aloud from a standard list of phrases. Additionally, Norris trained the software to recognize 69 distinct utterances, allowing for some flexibility in the way that commands can be delivered. Lastly, there are a few bird names that are difficult to translate: Pyrruhloxia, Snowy Plover, and Northern Saw-whet Owl could result in an awkward silence from Alexa. Dictate each word slowly when dealing with those species—even robots have a small learning curve.
Norris, for his part, is monitoring each delivery made from the Audubon library in order to record any mistakes or omissions. And when he’s not honing the ability, he enjoys the benefits by having Alexa mimic the sounds made by the three feeders in his yard. “I hope people can use this tool to learn that there is a lot more communication in the bird world than they realize,” states Norris. Alexa, can we get an amen?.
When creating the Audubon Bird Songs Alexa skill, Ed Norris intended for it to have that kind of effect. When he goes fishing or camping, the software architect, who lives in Kentucky and Ohio, loves to study birds. He claims that hearing the species’ voices helps transport him back to those locations.
Naturally, all of this occurs in a split second, making for an easy and efficient user experience. Saying “Alexa, ask Audubon to play [insert common species name]” or “Alexa, ask Audubon what a [insert common species name] sounds like” is all that a bird enthusiast needs to do. When instructed to “play the next one,” Alexa will cycle through the calls and songs. ”.
Amazon’s voice-activated assistant provides you with one of the world’s most adorable songs with just eight words.
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