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

Peruvian Tern

Sternula lorata

A small, endangered seabird endemic to the Humboldt Current, distinguished by its pale grey plumage and specialized desert nesting behavior.

What it sounds like

A high-pitched, sharp 'kree-ee-eer' and rapid, metallic 'kip-kip-kip' notes.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. sylvia hernandez · ChileCC BY-NC-ND Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is the smallest tern species inhabiting the Pacific coast of South America, measuring only about 24 centimeters in length.
Unlike most seabirds, it nests in loose colonies on hyper-arid desert plains and sand dunes, sometimes several kilometers inland from the shore.
The species is a specialist feeder, relying almost exclusively on the Peruvian anchoveta and other small pelagic fish.
The global population is critically low, estimated at fewer than 2,000 mature individuals due to coastal development and mining activities.
El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) cycles significantly disrupt their breeding success by driving primary prey into deeper, colder waters.

Habitat

Arid coastal dunes, salt pans, and gravelly desert plains near productive upwelling zones.

Range

The Humboldt Current coastline from northern Ecuador through Peru to northern Chile.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Australian Fairy TernSternula nereis Damara TernSternula balaenarum Least TernSternula antillarum Little TernSternula albifrons Saunders's TernSternula saundersi Yellow-billed TernSternula superciliaris

Heard a Peruvian Tern?

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