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

Giant Shrike

Lanius giganteus

The largest member of the Laniidae family, the Giant Shrike is a formidable predatory passerine endemic to the high-altitude regions of the Tibetan Plateau.

What it sounds like

A varied sequence of harsh, metallic grating notes interspersed with fluid, melodic phrases and mimicry.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Sander Pieterse · ChinaCC BY-NC-ND Xeno-canto

Field notes

It was historically considered a subspecies of the Chinese Grey Shrike but is now recognized as a distinct species based on morphological and molecular data.
Reaching lengths of up to 31 cm, it is the heaviest and largest species within the genus Lanius.
Like its relatives, it utilizes 'larders,' impaling prey such as lizards, rodents, and small birds on thorns or barbed wire to assist in dismemberment.
The bird possesses a powerful, hooked black beak with a specialized tomial tooth used for severing the spinal columns of vertebrate prey.
Despite its predatory nature, it is known for its complex vocalizations, which include sophisticated mimicry of other mountain-dwelling bird species.

Habitat

High-altitude alpine meadows, montane scrub, and open plateau grasslands.

Range

Endemic to the eastern and central Tibetan Plateau, primarily in western China.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Bay-backed ShrikeLanius vittatus Brown ShrikeLanius cristatus Bull-headed ShrikeLanius bucephalus Burmese ShrikeLanius collurioides Chinese Gray ShrikeLanius sphenocercus Emin's ShrikeLanius gubernator Gray-backed FiscalLanius excubitoroides Gray-backed ShrikeLanius tephronotus

Heard a Giant Shrike?

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