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 White Pelican

Pelecanus erythrorhynchos

A massive, snowy-white waterbird characterized by its enormous orange bill and black primary feathers that are only visible during flight.

What it sounds like

Generally silent, though adults may emit low, guttural grunts or croaks when at breeding sites.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Bruce Lagerquist · United StatesCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

Unlike the Brown Pelican, this species captures prey by scooping fish from the water's surface while swimming rather than plunge-diving.
During the breeding season, adults grow a unique, flat, fibrous 'horn' on the upper mandible that is eventually shed.
They are highly social foragers, often working in synchronized groups to herd schools of fish into shallow water.
With a wingspan reaching up to 9 feet, it possesses one of the largest wingspans of any North American bird.
Despite their large size, adults are remarkably silent and typically only produce vocalizations at their nesting colonies.

Habitat

Large inland freshwater lakes, marshes, and wetlands during summer; coastal estuaries and bays in winter.

Range

Breeds in the northern interior of North America; migrates to the Southern U.S., Gulf Coast, and Mexico.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Australian PelicanPelecanus conspicillatus Brown PelicanPelecanus occidentalis Dalmatian PelicanPelecanus crispus Great White PelicanPelecanus onocrotalus Peruvian PelicanPelecanus thagus Pink-backed PelicanPelecanus rufescens Spot-billed PelicanPelecanus philippensis

Heard a American White Pelican?

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Identify a bird by its song