How accurate is Birdsong's bird identifier?

It runs Google's Perch, a research-grade acoustic model covering nearly 15,000 species. When a call is ambiguous, we say so honestly and let you record a second clip to confirm, rather than guessing.

Is my recording stored?

No. Your audio is used to identify the bird in the moment and isn't saved to our servers. The birds you confirm are kept as cards in your own field journal; the recordings themselves are not.

Is the bird identifier free?

Yes — identify birds every day for free, no account required. Birdsong Pro ($3.99/mo or $39.99/yr) unlocks unlimited IDs, full field guides, your growing collection, and shareable Field Report cards.

Do I need an account or internet to identify a bird?

You'll need a connection to identify, since the AI runs in the cloud. No account is needed to try it — sign in with Google or email to save your field journal and sync it across devices.

Birdsong field guide

Allen's Gallinule

Porphyrio alleni

A small, secretive rail of Sub-Saharan Africa, distinguished by its deep indigo plumage, red legs, and a greenish-blue frontal shield.

What it sounds like

A sharp, rhythmic series of clicking notes described as 'cuk-cuk-cuk' or 'duk-duk-duk', resembling stones being struck together.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Peter Boesman · SenegalCC BY-NC-ND Xeno-canto

Field notes

Possesses exceptionally long toes that allow it to walk effortlessly across floating vegetation such as lily pads.
Despite its small size, it is a long-distance migrant and has been recorded as a rare vagrant as far north as Great Britain and Norway.
Juveniles look drastically different from adults, featuring a mostly sandy-brown plumage with a pale belly and buff-edged wings.
The nest is often built as a floating platform of reeds or suspended just above the water level in dense vegetation.
Its diet is omnivorous, consisting of seeds, flowers, and aquatic invertebrates, often gleaned from the undersides of water lilies.

Habitat

Freshwater marshes, reedbeds, and seasonal floodplains with abundant floating aquatic plants.

Range

Sub-Saharan Africa; occasionally found as a vagrant in the Palearctic region and Atlantic islands.

Similar & commonly confused birds

African SwamphenPorphyrio madagascariensis Australasian SwamphenPorphyrio melanotus Azure GallinulePorphyrio flavirostris Black-backed SwamphenPorphyrio indicus Gray-headed SwamphenPorphyrio poliocephalus Lord Howe SwamphenPorphyrio albus Marquesan SwamphenPorphyrio paepae New Caledonian GallinulePorphyrio kukwiedei

Heard a Allen's Gallinule?

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Identify a bird by its song