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

Hawaiian Coot

Fulica alai

An endangered, endemic Hawaiian waterbird distinguished by its slate-gray body, white bill, and prominent bulbous frontal shield.

What it sounds like

A series of short, high-pitched 'kek' notes and various croaks or clicking sounds.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Jim Holmes · United StatesCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

Known in Hawaiian as 'alae ke'oke'o, it is featured in mythology as the bird that brought the secret of fire to humans.
Unlike most waterbirds, it has lobed toes rather than webbed feet, which assist in both swimming and walking on floating vegetation.
The frontal shield above the bill is usually white, but some individuals exhibit a rare dark-red or chocolate-colored bulb.
It is a highly opportunistic feeder, consuming a diet of seeds, algae, aquatic insects, and small mollusks.
Nests are constructed as floating platforms of aquatic vegetation or anchored to emerging plants in shallow water.

Habitat

Freshwater ponds, brackish marshes, taro patches, and coastal lagoons.

Range

Endemic to the main Hawaiian Islands, primarily found on Kauai, Oahu, and Maui.

Similar & commonly confused birds

American CootFulica americana Eurasian CootFulica atra Giant CootFulica gigantea Horned CootFulica cornuta Mascarene CootFulica newtonii Red-fronted CootFulica rufifrons Red-gartered CootFulica armillata Red-knobbed CootFulica cristata

Heard a Hawaiian Coot?

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