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

Glossy Ibis

Plegadis falcinellus

A slender, dark wading bird characterized by its long, decurved bill and iridescent plumage that shifts between bronze and bottle-green. It is the most widespread ibis species globally, frequently observed in small, sociable flocks.

What it sounds like

Generally silent when foraging, but produces low, guttural grunts and hoarse croaks at nesting colonies.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / --:--

Rec. Michael John O Mahony · SpainCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

Breeding adults exhibit a metallic sheen with hues of emerald, violet, and copper that appear dark brown from a distance.
Unlike herons, the Glossy Ibis flies with its neck fully extended, often alternating between rapid flapping and short glides.
The species is highly nomadic and a prolific colonizer, having naturally crossed the Atlantic from the Old World to the Americas in the 19th century.
Its bill is equipped with sensitive mechanoreceptors called Herbst corpuscles, allowing it to detect prey by touch in murky water.
During the breeding season, a pale blue-white line of bare skin appears between the eye and the base of the bill.

Habitat

Freshwater and brackish wetlands, including marshes, lake margins, flooded pastures, and rice fields.

Range

Cosmopolitan distribution across warm regions of Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, and the Atlantic/Caribbean coasts of the Americas.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Puna IbisPlegadis ridgwayi Puna IbisPlegadis ridgwayi White-faced IbisPlegadis chihi

Heard a Glossy Ibis?

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