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 Frigatebird

Fregata minor

A large, masterfully aerial seabird known for the male's inflatable red throat pouch and its ability to remain airborne for months at a time. It is a dominant predator and kleptoparasite of tropical oceans.

What it sounds like

Silent while at sea; during breeding, males produce a variety of warbles, trills, and rhythmic drumming sounds accompanied by bill-clattering.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. AUDEVARD Aurélien · FranceCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

Males possess a vibrant red gular sac that takes approximately 20 minutes to fully inflate during courtship displays.
Despite being seabirds, their feathers are not waterproof, forcing them to feed by plucking prey from the surface or stealing from others.
They have the largest wing-area-to-body-weight ratio of any bird, allowing them to soar for weeks using minimal energy.
Great Frigatebirds are known to sleep mid-flight using unihemispheric slow-wave sleep, keeping one brain hemisphere active for navigation.
They frequently engage in kleptoparasitism, harassing other birds like boobies until they regurgitate their catch, which the frigatebird catches in mid-air.

Habitat

Pelagic tropical waters and remote oceanic islands with low-lying trees or shrubs for nesting.

Range

Widespread across the tropical Pacific and Indian Oceans, with a isolated population in the South Atlantic.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Ascension FrigatebirdFregata aquila Christmas Island FrigatebirdFregata andrewsi Lesser FrigatebirdFregata ariel Magnificent FrigatebirdFregata magnificens

Heard a Great Frigatebird?

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