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

Reunion Shelduck

Alopochen kervazoi

The Reunion Shelduck was an extinct, medium-sized waterfowl endemic to Réunion Island, closely related to the extant Egyptian Goose. It is known primarily from subfossil remains and brief historical accounts written by early travelers in the 17th century.

What it sounds like

Undocumented, though hypothesized to be a series of harsh honks or hisses similar to other members of the genus Alopochen.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

No reference call found yet · Xeno-canto

Field notes

It was scientifically described using subfossil bones recovered from the Grotte des Premiers Français.
The species was reportedly smaller and more slender in build than its mainland relative, the Egyptian Goose.
The explorer Sieur Dubois provided the only contemporary description in 1674, categorizing them as 'small geese'.
Extinction occurred rapidly following human colonization due to overhunting and the introduction of invasive predators like pigs.
It was likely a sedentary species, poorly adapted to escaping the sudden pressure of human settlement on the island.

Habitat

Freshwater lagoons, marshy ponds, and inland wetlands.

Range

Réunion Island (Mascarene Islands), Indian Ocean.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Egyptian GooseAlopochen aegyptiaca Mauritius ShelduckAlopochen mauritiana

Heard a Reunion Shelduck?

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