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

Crested Shelduck

Tadorna cristata

A critically endangered or possibly extinct waterfowl species from East Asia, known primarily from a handful of museum specimens and historical Japanese artwork.

What it sounds like

Unknown, though likely a hoarse honk or whistle similar to other members of the shelduck genus Tadorna.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

No reference call found yet · Xeno-canto

Field notes

No confirmed sightings of the species have been recorded since 1964 near Vladivostok, Russia.
The bird was historically prized as an ornamental species in Japan during the Edo period.
Only three confirmed museum specimens exist in the world, located in Copenhagen and Tokyo.
The species exhibits strong sexual dimorphism, with females featuring white facial plumage and males a dark green crown.
It is theorized to have had a unique migratory pattern, breeding in remote mountain forests and wintering in coastal estuaries.

Habitat

Coastal wetlands, estuaries, and potentially interior forested mountain rivers.

Range

Northeastern Asia, including Russia, South Korea, North Korea, and Japan.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Australian ShelduckTadorna tadornoides Common ShelduckTadorna tadorna Paradise ShelduckTadorna variegata Ruddy ShelduckTadorna ferruginea South African ShelduckTadorna cana

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