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

Flightless Cormorant

Nannopterum harrisi

The Flightless Cormorant is the world's only cormorant species to have lost the ability to fly, evolving as a specialized underwater hunter in the absence of terrestrial predators. It is easily identified by its stunted, vestigial wings and powerful, thick-set body.

What it sounds like

Generally silent, but produces low-pitched, guttural growls and hoarse croaks during nesting and courtship displays.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Charlie Vogt · EcuadorCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is the largest extant member of the cormorant family (Phalacrocoracidae) and the only one incapable of flight.
The bird lacks a keel on its breastbone, which is the anatomical structure normally required to anchor powerful flight muscles.
Its wings are approximately one-third the size that would be functionally required for a bird of its body mass to achieve lift.
Unlike most birds, they exhibit sequential polyandry, where females may desert their mate and chicks to find a new partner during a single breeding season.
They propel themselves underwater exclusively using their powerful webbed feet rather than their wings, reaching depths of up to 80 meters.

Habitat

Sheltered bays, rocky shorelines, and shallow coastal waters within the upwelling zones.

Range

Endemic to the Galápagos Islands, restricted to the western islands of Fernandina and Isabela.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Double-crested CormorantNannopterum auritum Neotropic CormorantNannopterum brasilianum

Heard a Flightless Cormorant?

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