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

Magellanic Oystercatcher

Haematopus leucopodus

The Magellanic Oystercatcher is a striking shorebird of the Southern Cone, distinguished by its bold black-and-white plumage and vivid yellow eye-ring. It is uniquely adapted to both coastal environments and inland grassy heaths in the subantarctic region.

What it sounds like

A series of high-pitched, liquid whistling notes, often delivered as a rapid, rhythmic piping 'wheep-wheep-wheep'.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Melissa Hafting · ChileCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is the only oystercatcher species in South America that possesses a bright yellow iris and a matching fleshy yellow eye-ring.
Unlike most oystercatchers, this species frequently nests inland in damp grasslands and moorlands rather than exclusively on the shoreline.
The bird's orange-red bill is laterally compressed, allowing it to act as a precision tool for prying open bivalve shells.
During the breeding season, pairs are highly territorial and perform elaborate 'piping' displays to defend their ground.
They are partially migratory, with southernmost populations moving north along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts during the austral winter.

Habitat

Coastal rocky shores, sandy beaches, mudflats, and inland subantarctic moorlands or grassy heaths.

Range

Southern South America, including southern Chile, southern Argentina, and the Falkland Islands.

Similar & commonly confused birds

African OystercatcherHaematopus moquini American OystercatcherHaematopus palliatus Black OystercatcherHaematopus bachmani Blackish OystercatcherHaematopus ater Canarian OystercatcherHaematopus meadewaldoi Chatham Islands OystercatcherHaematopus chathamensis Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus Pied OystercatcherHaematopus longirostris

Heard a Magellanic Oystercatcher?

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