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

Juan Fernandez Petrel

Pterodroma externa

A large, powerful gadfly petrel known for its high-speed dynamic soaring and distinctive dark 'M' pattern across its upperwings.

What it sounds like

Typically silent at sea; at colonies, it emits a rhythmic, nasal 'ooh-wak' or 'wick-wick-wick' during nocturnal aerial displays.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 0:36

Rec. David Boyle · New ZealandCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is a single-island endemic, breeding almost exclusively on the high-altitude ridges of Alejandro Selkirk Island in Chile.
The species spends the majority of its life at sea, ranging across the subtropical and tropical Pacific as far north as the Hawaiian Islands.
Nesting occurs in self-excavated burrows located in soil beneath dense fern-forests or high-elevation grasslands.
It is currently classified as Vulnerable due to its extremely restricted breeding range and threats from invasive feral cats and rats.
Foraging involves 'surface-seizing' to capture squid and fish, often in association with other pelagic predators like tuna.

Habitat

Pelagic open ocean; breeds on steep volcanic slopes and ridges between 600 and 1,100 meters in elevation.

Range

Subtropical and tropical Pacific Ocean; breeds in the Juan Fernández Archipelago off the coast of Chile.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Atlantic PetrelPterodroma incerta Barau's PetrelPterodroma baraui Bermuda PetrelPterodroma cahow Black-capped PetrelPterodroma hasitata Black-winged PetrelPterodroma nigripennis Bonin PetrelPterodroma hypoleuca Cape Verde PetrelPterodroma feae Chatham Islands PetrelPterodroma axillaris

Heard a Juan Fernandez Petrel?

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