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

American Coot

Fulica americana

A plump, charcoal-gray waterbird of the rail family characterized by its stark white bill and rhythmic head-bobbing while swimming.

What it sounds like

A varied repertoire of harsh, mechanical croaks, clucks, and cackles, most commonly a short, sharp 'kuk'.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 1:08

Rec. Greg Irving · United StatesCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

Instead of webbed feet, they possess large, fleshy lobed toes that fold back during swimming and expand for walking on soft mud.
They are notorious for brood parasitism, frequently laying eggs in the nests of other coots to outsource chick-rearing.
To become airborne, they must perform a long, splashing run across the water's surface while flapping vigorously.
While adults are drab, newly hatched chicks have flamboyant orange-red down feathers and a vivid red bill.
They are highly territorial and engage in 'splattering,' a defensive display where they slap the water with their feet to deter intruders.

Habitat

Freshwater wetlands, lakes, marshes, and slow-moving rivers; also found in brackish coastal waters during winter.

Range

Widespread throughout North America, ranging from southern Canada to northern South America.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Eurasian CootFulica atra Giant CootFulica gigantea Hawaiian CootFulica alai Horned CootFulica cornuta Mascarene CootFulica newtonii Red-fronted CootFulica rufifrons Red-gartered CootFulica armillata Red-knobbed CootFulica cristata

Heard a American Coot?

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