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

Royal Spoonbill

Platalea regia

A large, elegant white waterbird instantly recognizable by its long, black, spoon-shaped bill and facial markings. It is a specialist feeder that hunts by wading through shallow waters using a lateral sweeping motion.

What it sounds like

Generally silent, but produces low grunts or mechanical bill-snapping noises at nesting colonies.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Khristos Nizamis · AustraliaCC BY-NC-ND Xeno-canto

Field notes

The bill's tip contains highly sensitive tactile sensors that allow it to snap shut on prey in as little as 25 milliseconds.
During the breeding season, adults grow long, flowing nuchal plumes and develop bright yellow patches above the eyes.
They are colonial nesters, often building stick platforms in trees overhanging water alongside ibises and herons.
The species is known for its 'mowing' feeding behavior, swinging its bill in a wide arc to detect fish and crustaceans.
Unlike most other spoonbills, the Royal Spoonbill has a small patch of red skin on its forehead that becomes more prominent during courtship.

Habitat

Shallow freshwater and saltwater wetlands, intertidal mudflats, estuaries, and mangroves.

Range

Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and some Pacific islands.

Similar & commonly confused birds

African SpoonbillPlatalea alba Black-faced SpoonbillPlatalea minor Eurasian SpoonbillPlatalea leucorodia Roseate SpoonbillPlatalea ajaja Yellow-billed SpoonbillPlatalea flavipes

Heard a Royal Spoonbill?

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