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 Noddy

Anous stolidus

A large, dark tropical tern distinguished by its chocolate-brown plumage and contrasting silvery-white forehead cap. It is namesake for its characteristic ritualized 'nodding' displays during courtship and social interactions.

What it sounds like

A low, harsh, guttural croak or a repetitive 'krak' sound, often compared to the call of a crow.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Dries Van de Loock · SeychellesCC BY-NC-ND Xeno-canto

Field notes

Unlike most terns that plunge-dive, the Brown Noddy feeds by 'dipping' to snatch small fish and squid from the surface.
They often associate with predatory fish like tuna, catching smaller prey driven to the surface by the larger hunters.
The species builds substantial nests from sticks, seaweed, and coral fragments, often placing them in bushes or on cliff ledges.
Their tail is wedge-shaped with a central notch, rather than being deeply forked like most other tern species.
Historically, sailors called them 'noddies' because of their apparent fearlessness and 'stupid' behavior when approached on ships.

Habitat

Tropical and subtropical oceans, nesting on coral cays, rocky offshore islands, and occasionally in coastal trees.

Range

Circumtropical distribution, found across the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Black NoddyAnous minutus Blue-gray NoddyAnous ceruleus Gray NoddyAnous albivitta Lesser NoddyAnous tenuirostris

Heard a Brown Noddy?

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