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

Heermann's Gull

Larus heermanni

A medium-sized, strikingly dark gull easily identified by its charcoal-gray body and bright red bill. It is unique among North American gulls for its 'reverse migration' pattern, moving north along the Pacific coast after breeding in Mexico.

What it sounds like

A nasal, high-pitched 'wheee-yee' or a low, guttural barking 'kowp'.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 0:14

Rec. Steve Hampton · United StatesCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

Approximately 95% of the global population nests on a single tiny landmass, Isla Rasa, in the Gulf of California.
They are specialized kleptoparasites, frequently hovering over Brown Pelicans to steal fish directly from their pouches.
Unlike most gulls that migrate south for winter, this species moves north to California and British Columbia after the breeding season.
During the breeding season, adults develop a stark white head that contrasts sharply with their dark gray bodies.
They are highly sensitive to El Niño events, which can cause total reproductive failure by shifting the availability of sardines and anchovies.

Habitat

Coastal beaches, rocky shores, and kelp forests; strictly marine and rarely seen inland.

Range

Pacific coast of North America, ranging from southern British Columbia to central Mexico.

Similar & commonly confused birds

American Herring GullLarus smithsonianus Armenian GullLarus armenicus Belcher's GullLarus belcheri Black-tailed GullLarus crassirostris California GullLarus californicus Caspian GullLarus cachinnans Common GullLarus canus European Herring GullLarus argentatus

Heard a Heermann's Gull?

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