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

Buller's Albatross

Thalassarche bulleri

A medium-sized mollymawk albatross distinguished by its striking grey hood and prominent yellow-and-black bill plates.

What it sounds like

Generally silent at sea; at nesting sites, they emit harsh croaks, braying sounds, and rhythmic bill-clattering.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 5:55

Rec. Mike Bell/Dave Boyle · New ZealandCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

The species is named after the 19th-century New Zealand ornithologist Sir Walter Buller.
Adults possess a distinctive bright yellow stripe on both the upper and lower mandibles of the bill.
They utilize dynamic soaring to cover thousands of miles across the Pacific using minimal energy.
The species breeds almost exclusively on New Zealand's offshore islands, such as the Snares and Solander Islands.
Pairs typically remain together for life, engaging in complex mutual preening and bill-clattering rituals.

Habitat

Pelagic maritime environments; nests on steep rocky cliffs and tussock-covered ledges.

Range

Southern Pacific Ocean, ranging from the waters of New Zealand to the Humboldt Current off South America.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Atlantic Yellow-nosed AlbatrossThalassarche chlororhynchos Black-browed AlbatrossThalassarche melanophris Chatham AlbatrossThalassarche eremita Gray-headed AlbatrossThalassarche chrysostoma Indian Yellow-nosed AlbatrossThalassarche carteri Salvin's AlbatrossThalassarche salvini White-capped AlbatrossThalassarche cauta

Heard a Buller's Albatross?

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