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

Common Goldeneye

Bucephala clangula

A medium-sized diving duck characterized by its bulbous head, piercing yellow irises, and a prominent circular white patch on the male's cheek. It is a hardy species often found in cold, northern waters throughout the winter.

What it sounds like

Usually silent, but males emit a mechanical, nasal 'speer-speer' during courtship, and females produce a low, guttural 'gack-gack'.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 0:25

Rec. Lars Edenius · SwedenCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

Known as 'Whistlers' because their rapid wing-beats produce a loud, rhythmic whistling sound audible from a distance.
They are secondary cavity nesters, typically utilizing abandoned woodpecker holes or nest boxes located in forested areas near water.
Courting males perform a dramatic 'head-throw' display, snapping their heads back toward their tails while kicking water into the air.
One-day-old ducklings must leap from nesting cavities—sometimes up to 40 feet high—to reach the ground or water below.
They are aggressive foragers that can dive to depths of 20 feet, staying submerged for nearly a minute to hunt aquatic invertebrates and small fish.

Habitat

Boreal forest lakes and rivers for breeding; coastal estuaries, bays, and large ice-free inland lakes during winter.

Range

Holarctic distribution, ranging across North America, northern Europe, and Russia.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Barrow's GoldeneyeBucephala islandica BuffleheadBucephala albeola

Heard a Common Goldeneye?

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