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

European Herring Gull

Larus argentatus

A large, powerful gull with a pale grey mantle and pink legs, widely recognized as a highly adaptable opportunist across European coasts.

What it sounds like

A loud, bugling 'kyow-kyow-kyow' laugh and a sharp, repetitive 'ga-ga-ga' alarm call.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 2:26

Rec. Eetu Paljakka · FinlandCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

Chicks peck at a distinct red spot on the adult's lower mandible to trigger a regurgitation reflex for feeding.
They undergo a four-year maturation process before reaching their characteristic white and grey adult plumage.
Individuals use a 'paddling' technique on grass, mimicking rain to entice earthworms to the surface.
They possess specialized supraorbital glands that allow them to drink salt water by excreting excess sodium through the nostrils.
Highly intelligent, they have been observed using bread as bait to catch fish and dropping hard-shelled prey onto rocks to break them open.

Habitat

Coastal cliffs, beaches, estuaries, and increasingly urban environments like rooftops and landfills.

Range

Widespread across Northern and Western Europe, ranging from the Arctic to the Mediterranean in winter.

Similar & commonly confused birds

American Herring GullLarus smithsonianus Armenian GullLarus armenicus Belcher's GullLarus belcheri Black-tailed GullLarus crassirostris California GullLarus californicus Caspian GullLarus cachinnans Common GullLarus canus Glaucous GullLarus hyperboreus

Heard a European Herring Gull?

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