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

Black-browed Albatross

Thalassarche melanophris

The Black-browed Albatross is a medium-sized, circumpolar seabird characterized by its white head and distinctive dark eye-streak. It is the most common and widely distributed member of the albatross family, frequently following fishing vessels across the Southern Ocean.

What it sounds like

Typically silent at sea; at nesting sites, they emit loud, harsh braying, croaking, and rhythmic bill-clattering during displays.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Pepe Rojas · United KingdomCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

Identifiable by the dark grey 'eyebrow' plumage through the eye that gives the species its common name.
Boasts a massive wingspan of up to 2.4 meters, specialized for long-distance dynamic soaring over open water.
The Falkland Islands host approximately 70% of the global breeding population, often in dense colonies shared with Rockhopper Penguins.
They are exceptionally long-lived birds, with some individuals recorded breeding well into their 60s and 70s.
Equipped with a specialized salt gland above the nasal passage to excrete excess salt, allowing them to drink seawater.

Habitat

Pelagic open ocean and remote sub-Antarctic islands with steep, grassy cliffs for nesting.

Range

Circumpolar throughout the Southern Ocean, ranging from the Antarctic ice edge to subtropical waters.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Atlantic Yellow-nosed AlbatrossThalassarche chlororhynchos Buller's AlbatrossThalassarche bulleri Chatham AlbatrossThalassarche eremita Gray-headed AlbatrossThalassarche chrysostoma Indian Yellow-nosed AlbatrossThalassarche carteri Salvin's AlbatrossThalassarche salvini White-capped AlbatrossThalassarche cauta

Heard a Black-browed Albatross?

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