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

Iceland Gull

Larus glaucoides

A medium-sized, elegant 'white-winged' gull of the high Arctic, characterized by its pale plumage and lack of black melanin in its wingtips.

What it sounds like

A high-pitched, shrill, and laughing 'klee-yer' or 'kyow', generally thinner and more nasal than the call of a Herring Gull.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Irish Wildlife Sounds · IrelandCC BY-NC-ND Xeno-canto

Field notes

Despite its common name, the species does not actually breed in Iceland, but primarily in high Arctic Greenland and Canada.
It is a 'white-winged' gull, meaning its primary feathers lack the black pigment typical of most other Larus species.
The Kumlien’s subspecies (L. g. kumlieni) displays a unique gradient of grey wing-tip markings, reflecting a complex clinal relationship with Thayer's Gull.
It has a relatively small, petite bill and a rounded head, which gives it a characteristically 'gentle' facial expression compared to the Herring Gull.
In flight, it appears more buoyant and agile than the larger Glaucous Gull, often described as having more 'tern-like' movements.

Habitat

Nests on high Arctic sea cliffs; winters in coastal harbors, ice edges, and occasionally inland at large lakes or landfills.

Range

Breeds in the high Arctic of North America and Greenland; winters south to the northern United States, Great Britain, and Northwest Europe.

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 Iceland Gull?

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