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 Shearwater

Ardenna gravis

A large, migratory pelagic seabird distinguished by its dark cap, white collar, and impressive trans-equatorial flights across the Atlantic Ocean.

What it sounds like

Generally silent at sea; at nesting sites, it emits loud, harsh braying, nasal shrieks, and rhythmic cackling.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 0:49

Rec. Derren Fox · South AfricaCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

Breeds almost exclusively on the remote Tristan da Cunha archipelago and Gough Island in the South Atlantic.
Undertakes a massive circular migration, traveling from the South Atlantic to the North Atlantic and back annually.
Utilizes dynamic soaring to travel vast distances efficiently, gliding inches above the ocean waves.
Features a distinctive dark 'smudge' on the center of its white belly, aiding in field identification.
Capable of diving to depths of 20 meters or more to pursue schools of fish and squid.

Habitat

Pelagic; inhabits the open ocean, returning to remote, rocky subantarctic islands for breeding.

Range

Atlantic Ocean; moves between the South Atlantic breeding grounds and the North Atlantic during the boreal summer.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Buller's ShearwaterArdenna bulleri Flesh-footed ShearwaterArdenna carneipes Pink-footed ShearwaterArdenna creatopus Short-tailed ShearwaterArdenna tenuirostris Sooty ShearwaterArdenna grisea Wedge-tailed ShearwaterArdenna pacifica

Heard a Great Shearwater?

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