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

Mauritius Gray Parrot

Psittacula bensoni

An extinct, large-billed parrot endemic to the Mascarene Islands, characterized by its distinct grey plumage and remarkably tame demeanor. It is known to science primarily through subfossil remains and 17th-century travel logs.

What it sounds like

Described in historical journals as a series of loud, piercing, and repetitive shrieks.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

No reference call found yet · Xeno-canto

Field notes

Though traditionally placed in the genus Lophopsittacus, modern taxonomic analysis reclassified it within Psittacula.
Unlike most of its bright green relatives, contemporary accounts describe this species as having a uniform grey color.
The bird was reported to be so unafraid of humans that sailors could capture individuals by hand or with simple sticks.
Subfossil evidence indicates it possessed a heavy, powerful beak adapted for crushing tough seeds or nuts.
The species likely succumbed to extinction by the mid-18th century due to predation by invasive rats and macaques.

Habitat

Subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests

Range

Mauritius and Réunion (Mascarene Islands)

Similar & commonly confused birds

Alexandrine ParakeetPsittacula eupatria Blossom-headed ParakeetPsittacula roseata Derbyan ParakeetPsittacula derbiana Echo ParakeetPsittacula eques Gray-headed ParakeetPsittacula finschii Layard's ParakeetPsittacula calthrapae Long-tailed ParakeetPsittacula longicauda Malabar ParakeetPsittacula columboides

Heard a Mauritius Gray Parrot?

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