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

Northern Royal Albatross

Diomedea sanfordi

A magnificent, long-winged pelagic seabird distinguished by its stark white body and contrasting black upperwings. It is among the largest flying birds in the world, renowned for its mastery of dynamic soaring across the Southern Ocean.

What it sounds like

Generally silent at sea; at breeding colonies, they perform 'gamming' rituals featuring harsh croaks, screams, and rhythmic bill-clattering.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Oscar Thomas · New ZealandCC BY-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

Adults are distinguished from the Southern Royal Albatross by their entirely black upperwings.
They are biennial breeders, meaning a successful pair will only raise one chick every two years due to the long developmental period.
The species is remarkably long-lived, with some individuals documented breeding into their 60s.
Taiaroa Head in New Zealand is home to the only mainland breeding colony of this species in the Southern Hemisphere.
They spend the first five or more years of their lives continuously at sea before ever returning to land to find a mate.

Habitat

Open ocean (pelagic); nests on windswept, grassy island ridges and plateaus.

Range

Circumpolar Southern Ocean, with primary breeding sites on the Chatham Islands and Taiaroa Head, New Zealand.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Amsterdam AlbatrossDiomedea amsterdamensis Antipodean AlbatrossDiomedea antipodensis Snowy AlbatrossDiomedea exulans Southern Royal AlbatrossDiomedea epomophora Tristan AlbatrossDiomedea dabbenena

Heard a Northern Royal Albatross?

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

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