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 Night Heron

Nycticorax mauritianus

An extinct species of heron endemic to the island of Mauritius, known primarily from subfossil remains and early colonial accounts.

What it sounds like

Undocumented, but presumed to be a harsh, guttural croak similar to other Nycticorax species.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

No reference call found yet · Xeno-canto

Field notes

The species was first scientifically described in 1893 based on skeletal remains found in the Mare aux Songes swamp.
It was morphologically more robust than the extant Black-crowned Night Heron, possessing thicker leg bones.
Early 17th-century travelers described the bird as being remarkably tame and easy to capture, which led to its rapid decline.
Extinction likely occurred by the late 1600s due to a combination of overhunting and predation by introduced pigs and rats.
Taxonomic analysis suggests it evolved from a colonizing ancestor from Africa or Madagascar that became a distinct island specialist.

Habitat

Marshes, coastal wetlands, and forested riverbanks near freshwater.

Range

Mauritius (Mascarene Islands)

Similar & commonly confused birds

Ascension Night HeronNycticorax olsoni Black-crowned Night HeronNycticorax nycticorax Black-crowned Night-HeronNycticorax nycticorax Nankeen Night HeronNycticorax caledonicus Reunion Night HeronNycticorax duboisi Rodrigues Night HeronNycticorax megacephalus

Heard a Mauritius Night Heron?

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