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-faced Cormorant

Phalacrocorax fuscescens

A medium-sized, strictly marine cormorant characterized by its stark black-and-white plumage and distinctive lack of colorful facial skin. It is the only Australian cormorant species that never ventures into freshwater environments.

What it sounds like

Mostly silent at sea; at breeding colonies, males emit low, guttural grunts and croaks while females may produce soft hissing.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 3:36

Rec. Khristos Nizamis · AustraliaCC BY-NC-ND Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is exclusively marine, unlike other Australian cormorants which frequently inhabit inland waterways.
The species lacks the yellow or orange facial skin common to other cormorants, possessing a completely black face and a bright blue eye-ring.
They are pursuit-divers capable of reaching depths of up to 12 meters using their large, webbed feet for underwater propulsion.
Breeding colonies are typically established on steep, inaccessible rocky ledges or offshore islands to avoid terrestrial predators.
While they lack fully waterproof feathers to aid in diving, they must spend significant time 'wing-drying' on rocks to maintain thermoregulation.

Habitat

Coastal waters, rocky shorelines, jetties, and offshore islands.

Range

Southern coast of Australia, spanning from south-western Western Australia to Victoria and around the coast of Tasmania.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Bank CormorantPhalacrocorax neglectus Cape CormorantPhalacrocorax capensis Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo Indian CormorantPhalacrocorax fuscicollis Indian CormorantPhalacrocorax fuscicollis Japanese CormorantPhalacrocorax capillatus Little Black CormorantPhalacrocorax sulcirostris Pied CormorantPhalacrocorax varius

Heard a Black-faced Cormorant?

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