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 Wood-Pigeon

Columba palumbus

The largest and most common pigeon in Europe, the Common Wood-Pigeon is a robust bird easily identified by its white neck patches and prominent white wing bars visible during flight.

What it sounds like

A rhythmic, five-note cooing phrase: 'coo-coo-coo, coo-coo,' often mnemonicized as 'My toe bleeds, Betty.'

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 4:08

Rec. Romuald Mikusek · PolandCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is the most numerous and widespread pigeon species across the Western Palearctic.
Both parents produce a nutrient-rich 'crop milk' from their crop lining to nourish their young squabs.
The species performs a diagnostic display flight involving a steep climb followed by loud, percussive wing-clapping.
While historically a shy woodland inhabitant, it has become a highly successful urban colonizer over the last century.
Its nest is often a remarkably flimsy platform of twigs, sometimes so sparse that the eggs are visible from below.

Habitat

Deciduous and coniferous woodlands, agricultural fields, urban parks, and suburban gardens.

Range

Widespread across Europe, North Africa, and Western Asia.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Afep PigeonColumba unicincta Andaman Wood-PigeonColumba palumboides Ashy Wood-PigeonColumba pulchricollis Black Wood-PigeonColumba janthina Bolle's PigeonColumba bollii Bonin PigeonColumba versicolor Cameroon PigeonColumba sjostedti Comoro PigeonColumba pollenii

Heard a Common Wood-Pigeon?

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