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

Bonin Petrel

Pterodroma hypoleuca

A small, agile gadfly petrel distinguished by its striking white underwings and distinct dorsal 'M' pattern. It is a specialized nocturnal burrow-nester primarily found in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.

What it sounds like

A varied series of high-pitched, staccato squeaks, rhythmic 'ti-ti-ti' chirps, and guttural purring sounds made within nesting burrows.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 25:30

Rec. david m · United StatesCC BY-NC-ND Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is a winter-breeding species, with the reproductive cycle occurring between January and June, unlike most other North Pacific petrels.
The population on Midway Atoll saw a dramatic recovery from near-extirpation following the successful eradication of invasive black rats.
To avoid predation and kleptoparasitism by frigatebirds, these petrels are strictly nocturnal when approaching or departing their nesting colonies.
They possess a specialized stomach oil, rich in energy, which can be used for long-distance flight fuel or as a defensive projectile against predators.
Their diet is heavily dependent on ommastrephid squids, which they hunt at the ocean surface during the night when the prey migrates upward.

Habitat

Pelagic open ocean waters; nests in deep underground burrows excavated in sandy coral island soils.

Range

Central and Western North Pacific, breeding primarily in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands and Japan's Ogasawara (Bonin) Islands.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Atlantic PetrelPterodroma incerta Barau's PetrelPterodroma baraui Bermuda PetrelPterodroma cahow Black-capped PetrelPterodroma hasitata Black-winged PetrelPterodroma nigripennis Cape Verde PetrelPterodroma feae Chatham Islands PetrelPterodroma axillaris Collared PetrelPterodroma brevipes

Heard a Bonin Petrel?

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