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 Egret

Ardea alba

A large, stately white heron distinguished by its yellow bill, black legs, and graceful S-curved neck. It is a cosmopolitan species known for its elegant plumage and patient hunting style.

What it sounds like

A low-pitched, harsh, and guttural croak, typically rendered as a dry, rattling 'krr-r-rack'.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 0:13

Rec. Sue Riffe · United StatesCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

The Great Egret serves as the official symbol of the National Audubon Society, following its recovery from the brink of extinction due to plume hunting.
During the breeding season, adults grow long, lacy back feathers called aigrettes which are used in elaborate courtship displays.
While they primarily eat fish, they are opportunistic hunters known to consume frogs, snakes, and even small mammals in terrestrial environments.
They fly with their long necks retracted in an 'S' shape, a characteristic that helps distinguish them from cranes and storks in flight.
Great Egrets are slightly smaller than Great Blue Herons and can be told apart from Snowy Egrets by their yellow bills and black feet.

Habitat

Freshwater and saltwater wetlands, including marshes, swamps, tidal flats, ponds, and lake shores.

Range

Widespread across the Americas, southern Europe, Africa, and Asia, inhabiting temperate and tropical latitudes globally.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Black-headed HeronArdea melanocephala Cocoi HeronArdea cocoi Eastern Cattle-EgretArdea coromanda Goliath HeronArdea goliath Gray HeronArdea cinerea Great Blue HeronArdea herodias Great-billed HeronArdea sumatrana Humblot's HeronArdea humbloti

Heard a Great Egret?

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