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

Parkinson's Petrel

Procellaria parkinsoni

The Parkinson's Petrel, or Black Petrel, is a medium-sized, dark-plumaged seabird endemic to New Zealand and known for its remarkable trans-Pacific migrations. It is the smallest member of the genus Procellaria and is highly adapted for deep-sea foraging.

What it sounds like

A series of harsh, rhythmic clucking and rattling sounds, interspersed with wheezing groans when inside breeding burrows.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Dan Lane · New ZealandCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

Breeding is currently restricted to only two locations: Great Barrier Island (Aotea) and Little Barrier Island (Te Hauturu-o-Toi).
They are proficient divers, capable of reaching depths of up to 10 meters to pursue prey like squid and fish.
During the non-breeding season, they migrate thousands of miles to the waters off Central and South America.
The species is strictly nocturnal at its breeding colonies to avoid predation and competition from larger birds.
Pairs are monogamous and typically return to the same burrow and mate year after year for decades.

Habitat

Pelagic open ocean for foraging; high-altitude temperate forests and ridges for nesting in underground burrows.

Range

Breeds in New Zealand; ranges across the subtropical and tropical Pacific Ocean to the west coast of the Americas.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Gray PetrelProcellaria cinerea Spectacled PetrelProcellaria conspicillata Spectacled PetrelProcellaria conspicillata Westland PetrelProcellaria westlandica Westland PetrelProcellaria westlandica White-chinned PetrelProcellaria aequinoctialis

Heard a Parkinson's Petrel?

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