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

Franklin's Gull

Leucophaeus pipixcan

A small, elegant gull characterized by a black hood and white eye-arcs, unique for its extensive trans-equatorial migration and preference for inland prairies.

What it sounds like

A high-pitched, nasal 'ka-wee-a' or a soft, laughing series of 'kuk-kuk-kuk' notes.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 0:05

Rec. Dante Buzzetti · ChileCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is one of the only gull species to undergo two complete molts each year, once on the breeding grounds and once in winter quarters.
During the breeding season, its white breast and belly feathers often take on a distinctive pinkish or rose-colored tint.
Unlike most gulls, it frequently follows agricultural plows to feed on soil invertebrates like earthworms and grubs.
It performs a massive migration of over 5,000 miles, traveling from the northern Great Plains to the west coast of South America.
They are highly social nesters, forming dense colonies in floating vegetation within deep-water prairie marshes.

Habitat

Freshwater marshes and prairie wetlands for breeding; coastal waters, bays, and estuaries during the winter.

Range

Breeds in central North America (Canada and northern US); winters along the Pacific coast of South America, primarily Peru and Chile.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Dolphin GullLeucophaeus scoresbii Gray GullLeucophaeus modestus Laughing GullLeucophaeus atricilla Lava GullLeucophaeus fuliginosus

Heard a Franklin's 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