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

Atlantic White-Tern

Gygis alba

The Atlantic White-Tern is a small, ethereal seabird known for its striking all-white plumage and its unique habit of nesting without a structure. It is often called the 'Fairy Tern' due to its delicate appearance and graceful flight over tropical waters.

What it sounds like

A series of low, guttural grunts and repetitive, high-pitched nasal 'krich-krich' or 'white-white' sounds.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / --:--

Rec. Alexander Schlatmann · SeychellesCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It famously builds no nest, instead balancing its single egg directly on bare tree branches, forks, or rocky outcrops.
Newly hatched chicks possess exceptionally strong feet and large claws to help them grip their precarious branch perches immediately after hatching.
The species is remarkably long-lived for a small bird, with some recorded individuals reaching ages of over 40 years.
Its bill is distinctive for being slightly upturned and having a deep blue coloration at the base where it meets the white facial feathers.
Unlike most terns that plunge-dive, it often feeds by 'dipping' or hovering to pluck small fish and squid from the ocean surface.

Habitat

Tropical and subtropical islands, coastal forests, and coral atolls with suitable trees or rocky ledges.

Range

Pantropical distribution across the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans, including South Atlantic islands like Fernando de Noronha and Ascension.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Blue-billed White-TernGygis candida Little White-TernGygis microrhyncha

Heard a Atlantic White-Tern?

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