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

Gray-backed Tern

Onychoprion lunatus

The Gray-backed Tern is a medium-sized tropical seabird characterized by its pale gray upperparts, black cap, and deeply forked tail. It is a close relative of the Sooty Tern but is distinguished by its softer plumage coloration and more restricted range.

What it sounds like

A high-pitched, nasal 'wuk-wuk' or a rasping 'kyer' call, generally softer and less raucous than that of the Sooty Tern.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Saxony Charlot · United StatesCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

Unlike many other tern species, the Gray-backed Tern rarely rests on the water, spending nearly all of its life in the air when not at a breeding colony.
It feeds primarily by 'dipping' to snatch small fish and squid from the surface rather than performing deep plunge-dives.
The species is highly pelagic and can be found hundreds of miles from the nearest land during the non-breeding season.
Nesting occurs in simple scrapes on sandy or rocky ground, frequently tucked under the shelter of low-growing vegetation or coral rubble.
In the Hawaiian language, it is known as 'Pākalakala' and holds significant cultural value as a traditional indicator of land for navigators.

Habitat

Remote coral atolls, rocky oceanic islands, and open tropical pelagic waters.

Range

Central Pacific Ocean, ranging from the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands to the Line Islands, Phoenix Islands, and Fiji.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Aleutian TernOnychoprion aleuticus Bridled TernOnychoprion anaethetus Sooty TernOnychoprion fuscatus

Heard a Gray-backed Tern?

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