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

Baillon's Crake

Zapornia pusilla

The Baillon's Crake is a diminutive and highly secretive waterbird belonging to the rail family, known for its cryptic behavior in dense marshland.

What it sounds like

A dry, mechanical rattling or trilling 'krek-krek-krek', often likened to the sound of a fingernail running across a plastic comb.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 2:46

Rec. Albert Lastukhin · Russian FederationCC BY-NC-ND Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is one of the smallest rails in the world, measuring only 17 to 19 centimeters in length.
The species features white flecks on its brownish upperparts that resemble scattered salt crystals.
It possesses disproportionately long toes that allow it to distribute its weight and walk across floating lily pads.
Though elusive, it is a strong flyer and highly migratory, with some populations traveling between Europe and sub-Saharan Africa.
Unlike many other crakes, the female and male share incubation duties and look relatively similar, though the female is slightly duller.

Habitat

Dense reedbeds, sedge marshes, and shallow freshwater wetlands with thick emergent vegetation.

Range

Widespread but patchy distribution across Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australasia.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Band-bellied CrakeZapornia paykullii Black CrakeZapornia flavirostra Black-tailed CrakeZapornia bicolor Brown CrakeZapornia akool Hawaiian RailZapornia sandwichensis Henderson Island CrakeZapornia atra Kosrae CrakeZapornia monasa Kosrae CrakeZapornia monasa

Heard a Baillon's Crake?

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