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 Herring Gull

Larus smithsonianus

A large, robust gull of North America characterized by its pale gray mantle, pink legs, and versatile foraging behavior. It is the classic 'seagull' of the Atlantic coast, known for its opportunistic nature and complex social structures.

What it sounds like

A loud, piercing 'kleew-ay' followed by a series of rhythmic, laughing 'kyow-kyow-kyow' notes.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 0:31

Rec. Valerie Heemstra · United StatesCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It requires four years to reach full adult plumage, passing through distinct annual cycles of mottled brown and gray feathers.
Adults possess a red spot on the lower mandible called a 'gonys spot,' which chicks peck to stimulate the parent to regurgitate food.
They are highly intelligent foragers, known to drop hard-shelled mollusks onto rocks or pavement from significant heights to break them open.
Though primarily coastal during the breeding season, they are successful inland colonizers of the Great Lakes and urban landfills.
American Herring Gulls are long-lived birds, with some individuals documented reaching over 25 years of age in the wild.

Habitat

Coastal beaches, rocky shores, estuaries, large inland lakes, and human-influenced environments like docks and landfills.

Range

Breeds across Alaska, Canada, and the northern United States; winters throughout much of North America south to Central America.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Armenian GullLarus armenicus Belcher's GullLarus belcheri Black-tailed GullLarus crassirostris California GullLarus californicus Caspian GullLarus cachinnans Common GullLarus canus European Herring GullLarus argentatus Glaucous GullLarus hyperboreus

Heard a American Herring Gull?

Open Birdsong, tap record, and identify the bird singing near you in seconds — then collect it in your field journal.

Identify a bird by its song