Microphones for Smartphones
I wanted to find a microphone that would be super easy to plug into a smartphone and improve recordings in the Merlin Bird ID app. Smartphone microphones are nearly always the limiting factor on how well Merlin works and I've missed IDs because of it, standing there hearing a bird clearly while my phone picks up nothing useful.
Over the years I've tried a lot of different setups to get around this. Shotgun mics, parabolic reflectors, external recorders, lavalier mics clipped to my hat, all in one automated units. None of them stuck. The extra effort of carrying bulky gear, keeping multiple bits of kit charged, downloading files separately, it all adds up and gets in the way of actually birding.
Now with advances in technology there are microphones that plug straight into a smartphone and deliver good quality recordings with no extra faff. So I set about finding the best options for under £100, and ideally under £50.
I tested a range of microphones over several weeks in real birding conditions. Close up birds and distant ones, windy days, varied background noise, proper field use rather than a controlled studio test. The best mics nearly doubled the range at which Merlin could identify a Willow Warbler singing compared to my phone alone.
For birdsong you want a cardioid microphone. It narrows in on the sounds you point it at rather than picking up everything around you. Point it in the rough direction of the bird and it will do the rest.
A note on connectivity: most modern phones have a USB-C port. A few of the mics below connect directly to this, including my recommendation. Others have a 3.5mm jack output and will need a small adaptor (around £8 on Amazon etc). If your phone has a headphone jack you can use all of these without any extras. Lightning port users will need an adaptor.
Two of the mics I tested had built in noise cancelling that could not be switched off. It sounds useful but in practice it filtered out exactly the quiet distant bird sounds you need Merlin to hear. Worth knowing before you spend your money.
Links to purchase on this page are affiliate links. No extra cost to you, but I get a small commission which helps me keep producing this kind of research and testing.
Full transparency, while doing the initial search for mics I was impressed by a few different BOYA mics, so I reached out to them and they set me up an affiliate link where I earn a small commission on each sale (without it costing you anything), this helps support my work making the videos and researching these mics! They also gifted me the MM1-W (which isn’t the one I’d recommend) but I had to buy all the other mics to test them out to make my recommendation. As well as giving me a 10% discount code for you to use BEGINBIRDING.
I’ve tested this mic on several different iPhones and Android phones and it works with them all, but I can’t guarantee it will work with your phone but I’m pretty sure it should!
Recommended: Boya MM1-AI (£39)
Connector: USB-C direct (cable included) or 3.5mm jack
The best all round mic I tested. Plug it in via USB-C and it powers straight up, no charging, no switching on, no faff. Just point it at the bird and Merlin does the rest.
In testing it nearly doubled the range at which Merlin could identify a Willow Warbler singing compared to my phone alone. The audio quality is genuinely impressive for the price, clean and clear even in moderate wind.
It is the only mic here that works with the Boya app, letting you adjust settings including switching off the noise cancellation, but once set up you will not need the app day to day.
Use code PD2623 to save 20% until 30th June.
After 30th June use BEGINBIRDING for 10% off on the Boya website, link below
Boya MM1 (£23)
Connector: 3.5mm jack (USB-C adaptor needed for most modern phones, around £8)
The best budget option I tested and a genuine step up from your phone mic in both clarity and reach. Not as powerful as the MM1-AI but it delivers a meaningful improvement at a price that is hard to argue with.
Worth noting: if your phone only has USB-C and you factor in the cost of an adaptor, the MM1-AI is only around £8 more and connects directly. Worth considering before you buy.
Use code PD2623 to save 20% until 30th June.
After 30th June use BEGINBIRDING for 10% off on the Boya website, link below
Boya MM1-W (£43)
Connector: 3.5mm jack (USB-C adaptor needed for most modern phones, around £8)
This was the most powerful mic I tested in raw range terms and it is still a good mic. But after testing the MM1-AI alongside it, a few practical disadvantages became clear.
It needs charging separately, forget to charge it or run out mid-day and it stops working entirely. The AI draws power directly from your phone via USB-C. It also needs manually switching on and off to preserve battery, whereas the AI powers up and down automatically when you plug and unplug it.
In windy conditions the MM1-W struggled, wind catching the mic could blank out bird sounds entirely. The AI handled this noticeably better, smoothing out background noise so Merlin could keep identifying.
Factor in the USB-C adaptor and the MM1-W ends up costing around £51 all in versus £39 for the AI. For most people the AI is the better choice. If you already own a 3.5mm adaptor or specifically want the wireless transmitter feature, the MM1-W is still worth considering.
Use code PD2623 to save 20% until 30th June.
After 30th June use BEGINBIRDING for 10% off on the Boya website, link below.
Boya M100 (£25)
Connector: varies by version
A solid budget option that gave a decent boost in testing, genuinely easy to use. Unfortunately Boya discontinued it shortly after I bought it to test so I cannot recommend buying it new. If you come across one secondhand it is worth picking up.Please start making this mic again BOYA!
Boya MM1+ (£31)
Connector: 3.5mm jack
Not suitable for birdsong recording. The built in noise cancelling filters out exactly the quiet distant bird sounds you need Merlin to hear. Close birds are OK but performance drops off sharply at distance. Worth avoiding.
Note: I also had repeated issues getting a clean connection with the cable, which is the last thing you want when a bird is singing nearby.
RØDE VideoMic Me-C+ (£63)
Connector: USB-C (other models connect to 3.5mm jack and lightning)
The same noise cancelling problem as the MM1+, which makes it actively counterproductive for birdsong. A real shame because it is well built and genuinely simple to use. But at £63 it performs no better than mics costing half the price. Not recommended for this purpose.
DJI Mic Mini (£42)
Connector: USB-C or 3.5mm jack
A decent all round mic and a genuine improvement on your phone for nearby birds. The limitation is that it is omnidirectional, picking up sound from all around rather than focusing on what you point it at. For close, loud birds that is fine. For detecting distant birds that Merlin is already struggling to hear, a cardioid mic like the MM1-AI will serve you much better.