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

Poo-uli

Melamprosops phaeosoma

The Poʻo-uli was a stocky, short-tailed Hawaiian honeycreeper characterized by a distinctive black facial mask and a specialized diet of land snails. Discovered only in 1973, it is now considered extinct following the death of the last known individual in 2004.

What it sounds like

A simple, repetitive series of sharp, high-pitched 'chick' or 'chit' notes.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

No reference call found yet · Xeno-canto

Field notes

It was the sole member of the genus Melamprosops, representing a unique evolutionary lineage among Hawaiian honeycreepers.
Unlike most of its relatives, its diet consisted largely of native land snails (Achatinellidae), which it foraged from the undersides of leaves.
The species was first discovered by university students on the slopes of Haleakalā, making it one of the last bird species identified in the United States.
Genetic analysis suggests it was one of the most 'primitive' honeycreepers, diverging early from the main Hawaiian nectar-feeding lineage.
Despite intensive conservation efforts, including a final attempt at captive breeding, the species succumbed to habitat loss and avian malaria.

Habitat

High-elevation, extremely wet montane rainforests dominated by ʻōhiʻa lehua and olapa trees.

Range

Endemic to the windward (northeastern) slopes of the Haleakalā volcano on Maui, Hawaii.

Heard a Poo-uli?

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

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