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

Garganey

Spatula querquedula

A small, elegant dabbling duck distinguished by the male's bold white eyebrow and its status as a strictly migratory species. It is the only duck that breeds in Europe and winters primarily in the tropics of sub-Saharan Africa.

What it sounds like

A unique, dry, crackling rattle from the male; the female gives a short, thin, high-pitched 'knake' quack.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Martin Fousert · NetherlandsCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is a trans-Saharan migrant, making it unique among European ducks for its long-distance wintering strategy.
The male's spring plumage features a prominent, broad white crescent extending from the eye to the back of the neck.
During courtship, the male produces a distinctive dry, mechanical rattling sound often compared to a wooden comb being stroked.
Unlike many other dabbling ducks, its breeding season diet is heavily insectivorous, focusing on aquatic larvae and small crustaceans.
The species is highly secretive during the nesting period, preferring shallow water with dense emergent vegetation for cover.

Habitat

Shallow freshwater marshes, flooded meadows, and lakes with abundant floating and emergent vegetation.

Range

Breeds across temperate Europe and Western Asia; winters in sub-Saharan Africa, India, and Southeast Asia.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Australasian ShovelerSpatula rhynchotis Blue-billed TealSpatula hottentota Blue-winged TealSpatula discors Cape ShovelerSpatula smithii Cinnamon TealSpatula cyanoptera Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeata Puna TealSpatula puna Red ShovelerSpatula platalea

Heard a Garganey?

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