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

Pomarine Jaeger

Stercorarius pomarinus

The largest and most powerful jaeger species, recognized by its barrel-chested profile and distinctive twisted tail streamers in breeding adults.

What it sounds like

Generally silent at sea; on breeding grounds, it gives low, harsh, nasal barks and 'which-yew' notes.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Andrew Spencer · United StatesCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

Adults in breeding plumage possess unique spoon-shaped central tail feathers that are twisted 90 degrees.
Their breeding success on the Arctic tundra is intrinsically linked to the population cycles of lemmings.
As a kleptoparasite, it aggressively harasses other seabirds like gulls and terns to steal their food.
It exhibits two distinct color phases, with the light morph featuring a dark cap and a prominent scaly breast band.
During the non-breeding season, it is almost entirely pelagic, living far offshore over the continental shelf.

Habitat

Arctic tundra for breeding; open oceans and tropical/subtropical offshore waters during winter.

Range

Circumpolar Arctic breeding range; winters globally across tropical and subtropical oceans.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Brown SkuaStercorarius antarcticus Chilean SkuaStercorarius chilensis Great SkuaStercorarius skua Long-tailed JaegerStercorarius longicaudus Parasitic JaegerStercorarius parasiticus South Polar SkuaStercorarius maccormicki

Heard a Pomarine Jaeger?

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