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

Barnacle Goose

Branta leucopsis

A medium-sized goose with a distinctive white face and black neck, famous for its dramatic nesting habits on high Arctic cliffs.

What it sounds like

A rapid, high-pitched barking 'kaw' or 'yak,' often sounding like a pack of small dogs when in a flock.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 0:38

Rec. Joost van Bruggen · NetherlandsCC BY-NC-ND Xeno-canto

Field notes

Goslings must leap from cliff-side nests hundreds of feet high to reach feeding grounds just days after hatching.
Medieval folklore suggested they hatched from driftwood barnacles, which led to their common name.
Because of the barnacle myth, some historical religious authorities classified them as fish, allowing consumption during Lent.
They are highly social birds that migrate in large, noisy V-formations to wintering grounds in Northern Europe.
The species is strictly herbivorous, primarily grazing on salt marsh grasses, clover, and agricultural stubble.

Habitat

Arctic tundra and coastal cliffs for breeding; salt marshes, pastures, and wetlands for wintering.

Range

Breeds in the North Atlantic (Greenland, Svalbard, Russia); winters in the UK, Ireland, and the Netherlands.

Similar & commonly confused birds

BrantBranta bernicla Cackling GooseBranta hutchinsii Canada GooseBranta canadensis Hawaiian GooseBranta sandvicensis Red-breasted GooseBranta ruficollis

Heard a Barnacle Goose?

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