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

Blue-gray Noddy

Anous ceruleus

The Blue-gray Noddy is a small, dainty seabird known for its uniform silvery-gray plumage and delicate proportions compared to larger noddy species.

What it sounds like

A soft, low-pitched, repetitive 'churr' or purring note, significantly quieter than other tern species.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 0:26

Rec. Eric VanderWerf · United StatesCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is the smallest of all noddy species, often exhibiting a flight pattern reminiscent of a storm-petrel.
Unlike its darker-plumaged relatives, it possesses a pale bluish-gray coloration that provides camouflage against the sea and sky.
It typically nests on rocky ledges or coral rubble, frequently laying its single egg directly on the substrate without nesting material.
The species is one of the few seabirds known to regularly prey on sea-skaters (Halobates), a type of marine insect.
Its feet are disproportionately large and fully webbed, though it primarily feeds by hovering and dipping rather than swimming.

Habitat

Tropical and subtropical oceanic islands, rocky cliffs, and coral cays.

Range

Widespread across the Pacific Ocean, including Hawaii, Polynesia, and northeastern Australia.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Black NoddyAnous minutus Brown NoddyAnous stolidus Gray NoddyAnous albivitta Lesser NoddyAnous tenuirostris

Heard a Blue-gray Noddy?

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