Sep. 2016 + Apr. 2017

Perch’d is a guide that will help you identify any bird in North America all from the convenience of your living room window or on the go.

FINAL PRODUCT

A flash of yellow

Growing up, I always had a bird feeder guidebook but I felt that finding the correct bird was difficult especially when that bird looked like every other. I developed the app Perch'd to combat this issue. Firstly, the user answers a shortlist of questions that narrows down the bird's whereabouts. What makes Perch'd special is its use of simplified geometric forms, inspired by Charley Harper, to increase recognition. Designed for an amateur bird watcher, the representations of the birds highlight the main characteristics that make them unique. For example, the Northern Flicker may look normal or even like a common woodpecker but, when it flies, it displays a flash of yellow under its wings that makes it distinctive. This yellow feature gains prominence in its representation so that its more accurately recognized. This way, a bird seen far away or earlier in the day can still be found and named without having to have memorized any abnormal details.