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

Ring-billed Gull

Larus delawarensis

A medium-sized, adaptable gull characterized by its yellow legs and a distinctive black ring encircling its yellow bill.

What it sounds like

A high-pitched, scratchy 'kyow' or a shrill, repeated 'kree-kree-kree'.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 0:18

Rec. Tom Cooney · CanadaCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

Adults exhibit high site fidelity, frequently returning to the same nesting colony year after year.
Unlike many seabirds, they are highly opportunistic and often forage far inland in parking lots and agricultural fields.
It takes three years for a juvenile to progress through mottled brown stages to reach full adult plumage.
They are proficient kleptoparasites, frequently stealing food from other birds or even humans.
During the breeding season, they nest in large colonies that can include tens of thousands of pairs.

Habitat

Lakes, rivers, coastal beaches, reservoirs, and urban environments.

Range

Breeds across southern Canada and northern US; winters throughout North America and down to Central America.

Similar & commonly confused birds

American Herring GullLarus smithsonianus Armenian GullLarus armenicus Belcher's GullLarus belcheri Black-tailed GullLarus crassirostris California GullLarus californicus Caspian GullLarus cachinnans Common GullLarus canus European Herring GullLarus argentatus

Heard a Ring-billed Gull?

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