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 Petrel

Pterodroma inexpectata

A robust gadfly petrel characterized by a distinctive dark grey belly patch and a bold 'M' pattern across its upperwings. It is a trans-equatorial migrant with one of the most extensive north-south ranges of any seabird.

What it sounds like

Rhythmic, high-pitched 'ti-ti-ti' pulses and harsh, guttural moans uttered while flying over breeding colonies at night.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 1:05

Rec. Johannes Fischer · New ZealandCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is the only gadfly petrel that regularly migrates into the subarctic waters of the Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska.
The species is also known as the 'Scaled Petrel' due to the intricate grey-and-white mottling on its feathers.
It performs high-speed 'towering' flight arcs, using dynamic soaring to remain airborne in extreme gale-force winds.
Breeding is largely restricted to predator-free islands around New Zealand, such as Codfish Island (Whenua Hou) and the Snares.
During the breeding season, individuals may travel thousands of kilometers from the nest to the Antarctic pack ice edge just to forage.

Habitat

Highly pelagic open ocean; nests in deep burrows on forested or tussock-clad subantarctic islands.

Range

Breeds in southern New Zealand; migrates across the Pacific Ocean to the North Pacific and Bering Sea.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Atlantic PetrelPterodroma incerta Barau's PetrelPterodroma baraui Bermuda PetrelPterodroma cahow Black-capped PetrelPterodroma hasitata Black-winged PetrelPterodroma nigripennis Bonin PetrelPterodroma hypoleuca Cape Verde PetrelPterodroma feae Chatham Islands PetrelPterodroma axillaris

Heard a Mottled Petrel?

Open Birdsong, tap record, and identify the bird singing near you in seconds — then collect it in your field journal.

Identify a bird by its song