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-headed Ibis

Threskiornis melanocephalus

The Black-headed Ibis is a large, white-plumaged wading bird known for its distinctively bare, black head and neck. It is a social species often seen foraging in wetlands across South and Southeast Asia.

What it sounds like

Usually silent, but emits low, nasal grunts and guttural croaks when at the nesting colony.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Peter Boesman · IndiaCC BY-NC-ND Xeno-canto

Field notes

The black skin of the head and neck is entirely featherless in adults, creating a stark contrast with their white body.
During breeding, individuals develop long ornamental plumes at the base of the neck and greyish feathers on the scapulars.
They are primarily carnivorous, using their decurved bills to probe mud for crustaceans, frogs, and small fish.
This species is a colonial breeder, frequently nesting in mixed-species 'heronries' alongside storks and egrets.
The Black-headed Ibis is currently classified as Near Threatened, largely due to drainage of wetlands and hunting.

Habitat

Freshwater marshes, lakes, rivers, rice paddies, and occasionally coastal mudflats.

Range

South and Southeast Asia, including India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia.

Similar & commonly confused birds

African Sacred IbisThreskiornis aethiopicus Australian IbisThreskiornis molucca Malagasy Sacred IbisThreskiornis bernieri Reunion IbisThreskiornis solitarius Reunion IbisThreskiornis solitarius Straw-necked IbisThreskiornis spinicollis Straw-necked IbisThreskiornis spinicollis

Heard a Black-headed Ibis?

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