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

Chinese Egret

Egretta eulophotes

A rare, medium-sized white heron characterized by its shaggy breeding plumes and vivid yellow bill. It is currently classified as Vulnerable due to significant habitat loss across its coastal range.

What it sounds like

Generally silent, but produces low, raspy croaks or guttural squawks when disturbed or at breeding colonies.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

No reference call found yet · Xeno-canto

Field notes

During the breeding season, adults develop a spectacular bushy crest of feathers that can reach up to 11 centimeters in length.
The lores, or facial skin between the eyes and bill, turn a bright, distinctive blue only during the peak of courtship.
Unlike the similar Little Egret, it possesses a heavier, slightly down-curved yellow bill and relatively shorter, greenish-yellow legs.
It employs an energetic foraging style, frequently running and splashing through shallow water to flush out small fish and crustaceans.
Historically decimated by the 19th-century plume trade, the global population is now estimated at fewer than 4,000 mature individuals.

Habitat

Coastal wetlands, tidal mudflats, estuaries, and small offshore rocky islands.

Range

Breeds in Eastern Russia, North Korea, South Korea, and Eastern China; winters south in the Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Black HeronEgretta ardesiaca Little Blue HeronEgretta caerulea Little EgretEgretta garzetta Pacific Reef-HeronEgretta sacra Pied HeronEgretta picata Reddish EgretEgretta rufescens Slaty EgretEgretta vinaceigula Slaty EgretEgretta vinaceigula

Heard a Chinese Egret?

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