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

Marquesan Swamphen

Porphyrio paepae

An extinct rail species from the Marquesas Islands characterized by reduced flight capabilities and robust morphology.

What it sounds like

Unrecorded, but likely consisted of loud, rhythmic shrieks and nasal grunts typical of the genus Porphyrio.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

No reference call found yet · Xeno-canto

Field notes

The species is known from Holocene subfossil remains found on the islands of Hiva Oa and Tahuata.
A bird in Paul Gauguin's 1902 painting 'Le Sorcier d'Hiva Oa' is widely believed to be a contemporary depiction of a living specimen.
Thor Heyerdahl reported a sighting of a similar flightless bird on Hiva Oa as late as 1937, suggesting it survived into the 20th century.
Osteological evidence indicates it had significantly shorter wings and sturdier legs compared to the extant Purple Swamphen.
Its extinction is attributed to the introduction of invasive predators such as cats and rats alongside human hunting.

Habitat

Damp montane forests and marshy margins on high volcanic islands.

Range

Hiva Oa and Tahuata, Marquesas Islands (French Polynesia).

Similar & commonly confused birds

African SwamphenPorphyrio madagascariensis Allen's GallinulePorphyrio alleni Australasian SwamphenPorphyrio melanotus Azure GallinulePorphyrio flavirostris Black-backed SwamphenPorphyrio indicus Gray-headed SwamphenPorphyrio poliocephalus Lord Howe SwamphenPorphyrio albus New Caledonian GallinulePorphyrio kukwiedei

Heard a Marquesan Swamphen?

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