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

Gurney's Eagle

Aquila gurneyi

A large, dark forest eagle of the Southwest Pacific, often mistaken for the Wedge-tailed Eagle but smaller and with a distinctively rounded tail.

What it sounds like

A series of high-pitched, nasal barking notes and occasional thin, whistling screams.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Phil Gregory · IndonesiaCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is the only member of the genus Aquila native to New Guinea and the surrounding islands.
Adults are almost entirely blackish-brown with pale greyish-brown eyes and yellow feet.
Unlike many other large eagles, its tail is rounded or slightly wedge-shaped rather than diamond-shaped.
The species is primarily an arboreal hunter, specializing in catching cuscuses and other large forest mammals.
Juveniles take several years to reach adult plumage, initially appearing much paler with buffy streaks on the underparts.

Habitat

Primary lowland rainforests, swamp forests, and occasionally coastal coconut plantations.

Range

New Guinea, the Moluccas, and various offshore islands of the Sahul Shelf.

Similar & commonly confused birds

African Hawk-EagleAquila spilogaster Bonelli's EagleAquila fasciata Cassin's Hawk-EagleAquila africana Golden EagleAquila chrysaetos Gurney's EagleAquila gurneyi Imperial EagleAquila heliaca Spanish EagleAquila adalberti Steppe EagleAquila nipalensis

Heard a Gurney's Eagle?

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