Hi there! I understand that Merlin Bird ID has recently started showing bird photos alongside the list of birds it detects through sound, and that this change is bothering you. I'd like to help you with that.

To start, could you let me know if this behavior started happening after a recent app update? Also, are the photos appearing in the Sound ID results screen or somewhere else in the app? This will help me figure out what options might be available to adjust or disable the photo display for you.

In general, Merlin Bird ID sometimes includes bird photos when showing identification results to give you visual confirmation of the species. While there isn’t a direct setting to turn off photos completely, clearing and reinstalling the bird packs for your region or adjusting the app’s settings might reduce or reset how photos appear.

Here’s a simple approach to try first:

1. Open the Merlin app on your Mac.
2. Go to the Bird Packs section (usually under settings or your profile).
3. Delete the current bird pack(s) related to your region.
4. Re-download the bird pack(s).

This process can clear any glitches related to photo display in the results.

If you want, you can also check the app’s settings to see if there is an option related to image display or identification options. Some versions of Merlin may allow toggling between "Photo ID" and "Sound ID" modes separately.

Would you be willing to try this and let me know if it helps? If not, we can look deeper into alternative adjustments or even escalate to Merlin’s support if necessary.

Are you comfortable with these steps so far?

It is on the Sound ID results screen. Shows up with the sound ID, without prompting

Thank you for clarifying that the bird photos show up on the Sound ID results screen automatically, without any prompt. That helps narrow things down.

Merlin Bird ID’s Sound ID feature typically combines audio identification with images to help visually confirm the bird species detected. Right now, there isn’t a built-in setting in the app to switch off photos specifically on the Sound ID results screen, as the photos are part of the identification feedback design.

Here are a few ideas to manage this:

1. Check for App Settings:
- Open Merlin and go to the Settings or Preferences menu.
- Look for any toggles related to "Show Photos," "Visual Identification," or "Sound ID Display." Some versions have options allowing you to customize what shows along with the sound results.
- If found, try disabling these photo-related options.

2. Update/Reinstall the App:
- If you’re running an older or possibly buggy version, updating to the latest version might improve customization or fix unexpected behaviors.
- Since you’re on macOS 10.15, check the app store or Merlin’s official website for updates compatible with your OS.
- Alternatively, uninstall Merlin and reinstall fresh to reset any display glitches.

3. Alternative Viewing Habits:
- If photos cannot be disabled, you could consider mentally focusing on the textual sound ID list and simply ignoring the photos.

4. Provide Feedback to Developers:
- Since this is a feature affecting your user experience, you might consider emailing Merlin’s support team at [email protected] to request a photo toggle option on Sound ID results. User feedback drives future updates.

If none of these options work, I can help escalate this to Merlin’s support for possible advanced solutions or updates.

Would you like me to guide you through checking for these setting options or help with reinstalling the app? Let me know!