# Macaulay Library MCP for AI Agents AI Agent Connect > Macaulay Library MCP gives your AI agent direct access to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's massive archive of bird and wildlife media. Use it to find specific audio recordings, photos, and videos by species, location, or contributor. It's the go-to for anyone needing scientifically-vetted wildlife assets for research, education, or content creation. It's built for accuracy and high-quality data. ## Overview - **Category:** image-video - **Price:** Free - **Endpoint:** https://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_mfHkK4mD3KrX222kO9u9ywC71LR562Ctc42AFroT/ai-agent-connect - **Tags:** ornithology, wildlife-media, ebird, nature-photography, bioacoustics ## Description The Macaulay Library MCP connects your AI agent to a massive scientific database of bird and wildlife media from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. This lets you get direct access to millions of photos, audio recordings, and videos. Usually, finding a specific bird call from a remote part of Brazil or a high-res photo of a rare warbler means digging through endless search results or navigating complex scientific databases manually. This Connector changes that by letting your AI client do the heavy lifting for you. You can ask your agent to pull up the latest wildlife uploads from a specific country or grab the full technical metadata for an asset you've already identified. It turns a tedious search process into a simple conversation. Whether you're building a nature documentary, conducting biodiversity monitoring, or just trying to identify a bird you heard in your backyard, you can get high-quality, verified media assets instantly. By connecting this to Vinkius, you get a direct line into one of the most important scientific archives in the world, making it way easier to organize your research or source authentic content without the usual friction of manual searching. You don't have to worry about whether the audio is clear or if the photo is actually the species you think it is, because everything here is vetted by experts. You can focus on your project while the AI handles the data retrieval. You can query by taxon codes, location, or even by the specific contributor who uploaded the media. This means if you're looking for a specific researcher's work, you can find it quickly. It's a massive leap forward for anyone who needs to move from searching to analyzing without the middleman of manual browsing. ## Tools ### search_media Use this to find specific wildlife assets by taxon, location, or contributor. It helps you filter through millions of items to find the exact recording or photo you need. ### get_asset Retrieve the full technical metadata for a specific ML Catalog Number. This is useful for getting precise details like recording dates, equipment used, and specific location data. ### get_recent_media Fetch the most recently uploaded media assets from the library. Use this to stay updated on new global wildlife submissions from specific countries or regions. ## Prompt Examples **Prompt:** ``` Find me some high-quality audio recordings of the House Sparrow in North America. ``` **Response:** ``` I've found several audio assets for the House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) in North America. Here are the top results: - **ML Catalog #614523011**: High-quality song phrase. - **ML Catalog #614522981**: Clear vocalization. Would you like me to pull the full metadata for either of these? ``` **Prompt:** ``` What are some of the newest bird sightings uploaded from Brazil? ``` **Response:** ``` I've pulled the latest wildlife media from Brazil (BR). Here are a few highlights: - **Saffron Toucanet**: Recent photos of this endemic species. - **Various Tanagers**: Multiple new recordings. - **Bird Vocalizations**: 15 new audio files uploaded in the last 48 hours. ``` **Prompt:** ``` Give me the technical details for ML Catalog Number 456789. ``` **Response:** ``` Here is the metadata for asset 456789: - **Species**: Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina) - **Recorder**: Peter Paul Kellogg - **Location**: New York, USA - **Description**: This is a high-quality audio recording featuring clear song phrases. ``` ## Capabilities ### Find specific wildlife media Query the archive for audio or photos using species, location, or contributor filters. ### Fetch latest global uploads Get a list of the most recent bird and wildlife submissions from around the world. ### Retrieve technical metadata Pull deep scientific and technical details for any specific cataloged asset. ### Filter by media type Sort through the database to find only photos, only videos, or only audio recordings. ### Access vetted research data Get high-quality media that has been verified by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. ## Use Cases ### Finding specific regional bird calls A researcher needs to find all recordings of a specific bird in Brazil. They ask their agent to use search_media with the species and location filters to get a list of audio files. ### Sourcing new wildlife photos A YouTuber wants the latest bird photos from a specific region. They use get_recent_media filtered by country code to see the newest uploads from the archive. ### Extracting technical recording data A student needs the technical details of a specific recording. They provide the ML Catalog Number and use get_asset to pull the metadata into a clean list. ### Filtering media by contributor An educator wants to find bird photos by a specific contributor for a project. They use search_media to filter by contributor and media type for specific educational needs. ## Benefits - Stop manual searching. Find specific species recordings or photos in seconds rather than clicking through pages. This saves you hours of digging through a massive database. - Get precise data. Pull full technical metadata for any catalog item to get recorder names, locations, and dates instantly without manual data entry. - Stay current. See the latest global wildlife submissions from specific regions to keep your research or content up to date with the newest findings. - Source verified content. Get high-quality media that's already been vetted by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology for accuracy and scientific integrity. - Faster research. Gather datasets for biodiversity monitoring or ornithological studies much faster by asking your agent to do the heavy lifting of data collection. ## How It Works The bottom line is you get instant access to millions of scientific wildlife assets through a simple chat interface. 1. Subscribe to the Macaulay Library MCP on the Vinkius Marketplace. 2. Enter your eBird API Token in the configuration settings. 3. Ask your AI client to find specific bird calls or photos from the archive. ## Frequently Asked Questions **Can I use the Macaulay Library MCP to find specific bird calls?** Yes, you can ask your AI client to search for specific bird calls using species names or taxon codes. It will pull relevant audio assets from the archive for you. **Does this Connector work for wildlife photos too?** It does. You can search for photos, videos, and audio recordings all in one place. You can even filter by contributor or media type. **Is the media in the Macaulay Library scientifically accurate?** Yes, the data comes directly from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. It's one of the most trusted scientific databases for bird and wildlife media in the world. **How do I get the technical details of a specific recording?** Once you have a catalog number, your AI client can use the Connector to pull the full metadata, including the recorder's name, location, and specific recording details. **Can I use this to find the latest wildlife uploads from a specific country?** Absolutely. You can ask your agent to pull the most recent uploads from any specific country or subnational region to see what's being added to the archive. **What kind of roles benefit most from the Macaulay Library MCP?** It's a huge win for ornithologists, biodiversity researchers, nature educators, and content creators who need verified wildlife media for their work. **Can I filter my media search to only show audio recordings for a specific species?** Yes! Use the `search_media` tool and set the `mediaType` parameter to 'a' (audio) along with the `taxonCode` for the species you are interested in. **How do I find the most recent media uploads from a specific country like Canada?** You can use the `get_recent_media` tool and provide the `regionCode` (e.g., 'CA' for Canada) to fetch the latest submissions from that area. **What information can I get if I have a specific ML Catalog Number?** By using the `get_asset` tool with the `mlCatalogNumber`, you will receive detailed metadata including species identification, location, date, contributor details, and technical specifications of the media.