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

Mottled Duck

Anas fulvigula

The Mottled Duck is a non-migratory dabbling duck of the southeastern United States, closely resembling a dark, female-plumaged Mallard.

What it sounds like

Nearly identical to a Mallard; females give a loud, descending series of quacks, while males produce a lower, raspier 'rebe-rebe'.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 0:13

Rec. Paul Marvin · United StatesCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is one of the few North American dabbling ducks that does not perform a seasonal migration.
Genetic integrity is currently threatened by extensive hybridization with introduced feral Mallards.
Unlike the Mallard, it lacks white borders on its iridescent green-to-blue wing speculum.
The species is divided into two distinct subspecies: the Florida Mottled Duck and the Gulf Coast Mottled Duck.
Males are distinguished by a clear, bright yellow bill, whereas females have orange-to-dull-yellow bills often spotted with black.

Habitat

Coastal marshes, brackish lagoons, rice fields, and wet prairies.

Range

The Florida peninsula and the Gulf Coast from Louisiana to northeastern Mexico.

Similar & commonly confused birds

African Black DuckAnas sparsa American Black DuckAnas rubripes Andaman TealAnas albogularis Andean TealAnas andium Auckland Islands TealAnas aucklandica Bernier's TealAnas bernieri Brown TealAnas chlorotis Campbell Islands TealAnas nesiotis

Heard a Mottled Duck?

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Identify a bird by its song