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zach7036 edited this page Mar 10, 2026 · 5 revisions

BirdNET-Pi: Enhanced Version — Installation Guide

Welcome to the BirdNET-Pi Enhanced Version! This guide will walk you through setting up a fresh installation of BirdNET-Pi on your Raspberry Pi.

Requirements

  • Raspberry Pi Hardware: A Raspberry Pi 5, 4B, 400, 3B+, or 0W2.

    ⚠️ Due to the heavy data processing required for the Analytics and Insights pages, a newer Raspberry Pi (4B, 400, or 5) is highly recommended for optimal performance.

  • Storage: A high-quality MicroSD card (32GB or larger recommended for long-term recording retention).
  • Audio Input: A USB Microphone or USB Sound Card.
  • Network: Access to your local network via Wi-Fi or Ethernet.
  • Software: A desktop or laptop computer to flash the SD card using the Raspberry Pi Imager.

🚀 Step 1: Flashing the Operating System

  1. Download, install, and open the Raspberry Pi Imager on your computer.
  2. Click "CHOOSE DEVICE" and select your Raspberry Pi model from the list.
  3. Click "CHOOSE OS" to select the operating system:
    • Go to "Raspberry Pi OS (other)"
    • Select "Raspberry Pi OS Lite (64-bit)"

    ⚠️ A 64-bit OS is required. For Raspberry Pi 4B/5/400, use Debian 13 Trixie or Debian 12 Bookworm. For older models (3B+, 0W2), use Bookworm. Do not use Legacy OS versions.

  4. Click "CHOOSE STORAGE" and select your MicroSD card.
  5. Click "NEXT". When asked about OS customisation settings, click "EDIT SETTINGS".

Configuring OS Customization Settings

In the customisation menu, configure the following:

  • Set hostname: Give your device a unique name (e.g., birdnetpi). This will become the web address you use to access the dashboard (e.g., http://birdnetpi.local).
  • Set username and password: Create a user account for the Raspberry Pi (e.g., username birder with a strong password). You will need this to log in via SSH.

    ⚠️ Important: Remember the exact username you create here. Modern Raspberry Pi OS does not have a default pi user — you must use the username you set in this step when connecting via SSH later.

  • Configure wireless LAN: Enter your Wi-Fi network name (SSID), password, and country. (Skip if using Ethernet.)
  • Set locale settings: Set your timezone and keyboard layout.
  • Services tab: Check "Enable SSH" and select "Use password authentication".

Click "SAVE", confirm "YES" to apply, then confirm "YES" to write the image. Wait while the image is written and verified. Once complete, you will be notified that it is safe to remove the SD card.

🚀 Step 2: Booting Up the Raspberry Pi

  1. Remove the MicroSD card from your computer and insert it into your Raspberry Pi.
  2. Plug in your USB Microphone (or Sound Card).
  3. Power on the Raspberry Pi and wait 1–3 minutes for the system to fully boot and connect to your network.

🚀 Step 3: Connect via SSH

  1. Open a terminal on your computer:

    • macOS / Linux: Open the Terminal application.
    • Windows: Open PowerShell or Command Prompt.

  2. Connect to your Pi via SSH, replacing birder with your username and birdnetpi with your hostname:

    ssh birder@birdnetpi.local

    If warned about connecting to a newly recognized host, type yes and press Enter. Enter your password when prompted (characters will be invisible as you type).

    Windows tip: If birdnetpi.local doesn't resolve, try using the Pi's IP address directly instead (e.g., ssh birder@192.168.1.x). You can find the IP address in your router's admin panel.

🚀 Step 4: Verify Your Microphone is Detected

Before running the installer, confirm that the Pi can see your USB microphone:

arecord -l

You should see output listing your USB microphone as a recognized audio device, something like:

card 0: Microphone [USB Microphone], device 0: USB Audio [USB Audio]

If nothing appears, unplug and re-plug the microphone, wait a few seconds, and run the command again. Do not proceed with installation until the mic is detected.

🚀 Step 5: Installing BirdNET-Pi Enhanced Version

Paste the following command into your SSH terminal and press Enter:

curl -s https://raw.githubusercontent.com/zach7036/BirdNET-Pi-Enhanced-Version/main/newinstaller.sh | bash

Windows PowerShell/PuTTY: Right-click to paste. On macOS/Linux, try Cmd+V or Ctrl+Shift+V.

The installation will run automatically — formatting the environment, pulling the latest scripts, configuring the backend, and applying the UI. This may take 15–30 minutes depending on your internet connection and SD card speed.

When installation finishes, the system will automatically reboot and your SSH connection will close.

🚀 Step 6: Set Your Microphone Gain

After the Pi reboots, SSH back in and configure your microphone input level:

alsamixer -m
  • Press F6 and select your USB microphone from the list.
  • Use the up arrow to raise the capture level to around 75–80%.
  • Press Esc to exit.

Save the setting so it persists across reboots:

sudo alsactl store

Skipping this step will result in a working system that barely detects birds — the input level will be too quiet for reliable identification.

🚀 Step 7: Accessing Your Dashboard & Finalizing Setup

  1. Give the Pi a few minutes to boot back up.
  2. Open any web browser on a device connected to the same network.
  3. Navigate to http://birdnetpi.local (or your chosen hostname).

Don't worry if the dashboard looks empty at first — the system needs a little time to hear its first birds!

Set a Password (Important)

In the top-right corner, click "Tools" and log in with:

  • Username: birdnet
  • Password: (leave blank)

Go to Settings → Advanced Settings and set a password immediately. The Tools area includes a Web Terminal with full shell access to your Pi — leaving it unprotected is a security risk.

Verify Your Coordinates

Click the "Settings" tab and scroll down to verify your Latitude and Longitude. If they were auto-discovered incorrectly, update them to accurately reflect your location. Correct coordinates are essential for accurate species filtering based on your local bird population.

Other Settings to Explore

  • BirdWeather ID: Claim yours to share your detections with the global BirdWeather community.
  • Database Language: Switch bird names to your local language.
  • Minimum Confidence: Adjust how strict the detection threshold is (0.70 is a good starting point).
  • Advanced Settings: Recording length, frequency range, and more.

When finished, scroll to the bottom and click "Update Settings".

Happy birding! Your microphones are live and your system is listening. 🐦

For further help, troubleshooting, or to share ideas, visit the Discussions and Issues trackers on the [official repository](https://github.com/zach7036/BirdNET-Pi-Enhanced-Version).

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