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-hooded Gull

Chroicocephalus maculipennis

The Brown-hooded Gull is a medium-sized South American gull characterized by its chocolate-brown breeding hood and vibrant red bill and legs.

What it sounds like

A harsh, raspy, and repetitive 'kree-arr' or 'kwaa' typical of the smaller gull species.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 0:18

Rec. Guillermo Menéndez (gmmv80) · UruguayCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

Closely resembles the Northern Hemisphere's Black-headed Gull but features distinct white primary feather patterns.
During the non-breeding season, the dark hood disappears, leaving only a small dark smudge behind the eye.
It is highly gregarious, often nesting in dense colonies that can include thousands of pairs.
The species frequently follows agricultural plows to feed on exposed soil invertebrates and larvae.
Its primary feathers show a diagnostic 'mirror' or white patch that is visible during flight.

Habitat

Freshwater marshes, lakes, estuaries, coastal beaches, and damp agricultural fields.

Range

Southern South America, from central Chile and Brazil south to Tierra del Fuego and the Falkland Islands.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Andean GullChroicocephalus serranus Black-billed GullChroicocephalus bulleri Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus Bonaparte's GullChroicocephalus philadelphia Brown-headed GullChroicocephalus brunnicephalus Gray-hooded GullChroicocephalus cirrocephalus Hartlaub's GullChroicocephalus hartlaubii Silver GullChroicocephalus novaehollandiae

Heard a Brown-hooded Gull?

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