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

Cocoi Heron

Ardea cocoi

The Cocoi Heron is the largest heron species in South America, characterized by its massive stature, white neck, and prominent black crown.

What it sounds like

A deep, resonant, and guttural 'ahrrrk' or 'rrhow-rrhow' often delivered during flight or when defending territory.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Marc Anderson · EcuadorCC BY-NC-ND Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is the largest ardeid in South America, standing up to 130 centimeters tall with a wingspan exceeding 150 centimeters.
Unlike its North American relative, the Great Blue Heron, it possesses a starkly white neck and breast contrasting with a solid black cap.
It is a highly patient apex predator of wetlands, capable of standing motionless for hours to ambush fish, frogs, and small reptiles.
During the breeding season, adults develop long, delicate white nuptial plumes on the lower neck and back.
The species is known to follow the seasonal rise and fall of river levels, performing regional migrations to exploit concentrated prey.

Habitat

Freshwater marshes, swampy lake margins, slow-moving rivers, and occasionally brackish coastal estuaries.

Range

Widespread across South America, ranging from Panama south to the Chubut Province in Argentina and the Magallanes Region in Chile.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Black-headed HeronArdea melanocephala Eastern Cattle-EgretArdea coromanda Goliath HeronArdea goliath Gray HeronArdea cinerea Great Blue HeronArdea herodias Great EgretArdea alba Great-billed HeronArdea sumatrana Humblot's HeronArdea humbloti

Heard a Cocoi Heron?

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