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

New Zealand Storm-Petrel

Fregetta maoriana

The New Zealand Storm-Petrel is a small, elusive seabird famously rediscovered in 2003 after being presumed extinct for over a century.

What it sounds like

Silent at sea; at breeding colonies, it produces high-pitched, rhythmic whistling and chattering notes.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

No reference call found yet · Xeno-canto

Field notes

Thought to be extinct from 1895 until sightings in the Hauraki Gulf in 2003 led to its formal rediscovery.
It is distinguished from other storm-petrels by its white underparts featuring unique dark longitudinal streaking.
The species' only known breeding site is Little Barrier Island (Te Hauturu-o-Toi), discovered only in 2013.
Like others in its family, it 'dances' on the ocean surface, using its feet to patter while foraging for small crustaceans.
It is currently classified as Critically Endangered with a total population estimated at only a few thousand individuals.

Habitat

Pelagic open ocean, nesting in deep rock crevices or burrows under forest cover on offshore islands.

Range

Primarily the Hauraki Gulf and waters off northern New Zealand; ranges into the South Pacific.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Black-bellied Storm-PetrelFregetta tropica New Caledonian Storm-PetrelFregetta lineata White-bellied Storm-PetrelFregetta grallaria

Heard a New Zealand Storm-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