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

Lesser Noddy

Anous tenuirostris

A small, soot-colored tropical tern known for its slender bill and arboreal nesting habits. It is a colonial breeder frequently found in dense mangroves and island forests.

What it sounds like

A dry, repetitive rattling or croaking sound, often transcribed as a harsh 'churrr' or 'krok-krok'.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Dries Van de Loock · SeychellesCC BY-NC-ND Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is distinguished from the similar Brown Noddy by its smaller body size and significantly longer, more slender bill.
Unlike many other noddy species, it primarily builds platform nests in trees or shrubs like mangroves rather than on the ground.
The species gets its name from a characteristic courtship display where pairs face each other and nod their heads rhythmically.
They forage by hover-dipping and surface-seizing, catching small fish and squid without fully submerging.
The Lesser Noddy is highly gregarious, forming massive breeding colonies that can contain tens of thousands of individuals.

Habitat

Tropical and subtropical oceanic islands, coastal mangroves, and coral cays.

Range

Primarily the Indian Ocean, with major populations in the Seychelles, Mauritius, and off the coast of Western Australia.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Black NoddyAnous minutus Blue-gray NoddyAnous ceruleus Brown NoddyAnous stolidus Gray NoddyAnous albivitta

Heard a Lesser Noddy?

Open Birdsong, tap record, and identify the bird singing near you in seconds — then collect it in your field journal.

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