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

Great Crested Grebe

Podiceps cristatus

An elegant, large waterbird celebrated for its elaborate, synchronized courtship rituals and distinctive chestnut-and-black head plumes.

What it sounds like

A series of harsh, barking 'rah-rah-rah' notes and deep, guttural croaking or snoring sounds.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 1:14

Rec. Ulf Elman · SwedenCC BY-NC-ND Xeno-canto

Field notes

Perform a complex 'weed dance' courtship where pairs rise vertically from the water chest-to-chest while holding aquatic vegetation.
Deliberately ingest their own feathers to line their stomachs, which helps protect the digestive tract from sharp fish bones.
Chicks are frequently transported on the backs of swimming parents, often tucked securely under the wings for protection.
Their legs are positioned very far back on the body for powerful diving, making them highly efficient underwater but nearly unable to walk on land.
Near-extinction due to the 19th-century plumage trade for 'grebe fur' led directly to the founding of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB).

Habitat

Large freshwater lakes, reservoirs, and slow-moving rivers with emergent vegetation; coastal waters during winter.

Range

Widespread across Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australasia.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Colombian GrebePodiceps andinus Eared GrebePodiceps nigricollis Great GrebePodiceps major Hooded GrebePodiceps gallardoi Horned GrebePodiceps auritus Junin GrebePodiceps taczanowskii Red-necked GrebePodiceps grisegena Silvery GrebePodiceps occipitalis

Heard a Great Crested Grebe?

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