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

Glaucous Gull

Larus hyperboreus

The Glaucous Gull is a massive, predatory 'white-winged' gull of the high Arctic, distinguished by its pale plumage and lack of black wingtips.

What it sounds like

A loud, piercing, and raucous 'kyow' or 'glayer,' similar to the Herring Gull but deeper and harsher in tone.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. AUDEVARD Aurélien · United StatesCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is the second-largest gull species in the world, characterized by an exceptionally heavy, powerful bill.
Unlike most large gulls, adults possess pure white primary feathers, lacking any black 'ink' markings on the wingtips.
It is a formidable apex predator and kleptoparasite, frequently preying on the eggs and chicks of other colonial seabirds.
Juveniles exhibit a distinctive creamy-buff or 'biscuit' coloration and a sharply bicolored pink bill with a dark tip.
The species is circumpolar, often following the retreating ice edge to forage for fish and marine invertebrates.

Habitat

Arctic coastal cliffs, rocky islands, and tundra; winters along coastal shorelines, ice edges, and occasionally inland refuse sites.

Range

Breeds in high Arctic regions of North America and Eurasia; winters south to the northern United States, Europe, and Japan.

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 European Herring GullLarus argentatus

Heard a Glaucous Gull?

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