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

Phoenix Petrel

Pterodroma alba

A medium-sized gadfly petrel of the central Pacific, distinguished by its dark brown upperparts and starkly contrasting white breast and belly.

What it sounds like

A high-pitched, staccato series of whistled 'ti-ti-ti' notes and soft, chattering squeaks delivered at the colony.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 0:24

Rec. Todd Mark · KiribatiCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is currently classified as Endangered due to severe population declines caused by invasive predators like Pacific rats and feral cats.
Unusually for Pterodroma species, it is frequently diurnal and can be observed flying around nesting colonies during the day.
Rather than excavating deep burrows, it typically nests on the surface under the cover of low-lying vegetation or rock overhangs.
Its global population is highly fragmented, with key breeding sites restricted to remote island groups like the Phoenix, Line, and Marquesas Islands.
The species utilizes dynamic soaring to efficiently forage across vast distances, primarily hunting squid and small fish at the ocean surface.

Habitat

Tropical pelagic waters; nests on low-lying coral atolls and remote volcanic islands with scrub or forest cover.

Range

Central Pacific Ocean, spanning from the Hawaiian Islands south to the Pitcairn Islands.

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 Phoenix 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