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

Spangled Kookaburra

Dacelo tyro

The Spangled Kookaburra is a distinctive kingfisher of New Guinea, named for the striking white-to-buff spots that dapple its dark head and mantle. It is smaller and more localized than its better-known Australian relatives.

What it sounds like

A series of harsh, mechanical cackles and rapid 'laughing' notes that are higher-pitched and more rhythmic than the Laughing Kookaburra.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 0:37

Rec. Ken Behrens · IndonesiaCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It possesses unique pale yellowish-white irises, giving it a piercing gaze compared to other kookaburras.
The species exclusively nests in arboreal termite mounds, excavating a tunnel and chamber into the hard structure.
Unlike the Laughing Kookaburra, its wings and tail are a brilliant, saturated blue rather than pale blue.
It is primarily a terrestrial hunter, pouncing from low perches to capture insects, snails, and small lizards.
The Spangled Kookaburra is sexually monomorphic, meaning males and females are nearly identical in appearance.

Habitat

Lowland savanna, open woodland, and Melaleuca (paperbark) forests.

Range

Aru Islands and the Trans-Fly region of southern New Guinea.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Blue-winged KookaburraDacelo leachii Laughing KookaburraDacelo novaeguineae Rufous-bellied KookaburraDacelo gaudichaud Rufous-bellied KookaburraDacelo gaudichaud Shovel-billed KookaburraDacelo rex Spangled KookaburraDacelo tyro

Heard a Spangled Kookaburra?

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