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

Cory's Shearwater

Calonectris borealis

A large, heavy-set pelagic seabird distinguished by its broad wings, leisurely shearing flight, and a robust yellow bill with a dark subterminal band.

What it sounds like

Silent at sea; at nesting colonies, it emits a series of loud, rhythmic, nasal wails and croaking cackles.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Rubén Barone · SpainCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It was formerly considered conspecific with the smaller Scopoli's Shearwater of the Mediterranean.
They are primarily nocturnal at breeding colonies to avoid predation by kleptoparasitic gulls.
The species utilizes dynamic soaring, extracting energy from wind gradients above waves to travel vast distances with minimal energy expenditure.
Nests are typically located in rock crevices, caves, or burrows excavated in volcanic soil on Macaronesian islands.
Individuals are long-lived, often reaching over 30 years of age, and exhibit high levels of mate and site fidelity.

Habitat

Open pelagic waters; nests on rocky offshore islands and coastal cliffs.

Range

Breeds in the North Atlantic (Azores, Madeira, Canary Islands); migrates across the Atlantic to winter off South America and South Africa.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Cape Verde ShearwaterCalonectris edwardsii Scopoli's ShearwaterCalonectris diomedea Streaked ShearwaterCalonectris leucomelas

Heard a Cory's Shearwater?

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