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

Brown Booby

Sula leucogaster

A large, pantropical seabird characterized by dark chocolate-brown plumage sharply contrasted by a crisp white lower breast and belly.

What it sounds like

Vocalizations differ by sex: males produce thin, high-pitched whistles, while females give loud, harsh honks and quacks.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. JAYRSON ARAUJO DE OLIVEIRA · BrazilCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

Displays sexual dimorphism in facial skin color; males typically show teal or blue skin during breeding, while females exhibit yellow.
Utilizes high-speed plunge-diving from heights of up to 30 meters to capture flying fish and squid.
Practices obligate or facultative siblicide, where the elder chick often outcompetes or expels the younger sibling from the nest.
Unlike some booby species that nest in trees, the Brown Booby primarily nests on the ground or on steep coastal cliffs.
The name 'booby' is thought to derive from the Spanish 'bobo,' referring to their historical lack of fear toward humans on ships.

Habitat

Tropical and subtropical oceans, nesting on oceanic islands, coral cays, and rocky cliffs.

Range

Pantropical distribution across the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Blue-footed BoobySula nebouxii Cocos BoobySula brewsteri Masked BoobySula dactylatra Nazca BoobySula granti Peruvian BoobySula variegata Red-footed BoobySula sula

Heard a Brown Booby?

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