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

Spot-billed Pelican

Pelecanus philippensis

A relatively small, pale-plumaged pelican native to southern Asia, known for the distinctive dark spots on its large bill. It is a colonial nester that thrives in both freshwater and coastal wetland environments.

What it sounds like

Generally silent, but produces low-pitched grunts, croaks, and bill-clattering at breeding colonies.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Sreekumar Chirukandoth · IndiaCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It features unique rows of dark spots along the sides of the upper mandible, which are absent in other pelican species.
Unlike many ground-nesting pelicans, this species builds large platform nests high in trees, often in mixed colonies with storks.
The species was downlisted from Vulnerable to Near Threatened after the discovery of several large, previously unknown breeding colonies.
During the breeding season, they develop a purplish-pink pouch and a greyish crest of feathers on the back of the neck.
They are primarily non-migratory but will disperse locally in response to changes in water levels and food availability.

Habitat

Large inland freshwater bodies, marshes, coastal lagoons, and estuaries.

Range

South and Southeast Asia, primarily India, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, and Thailand.

Similar & commonly confused birds

American White PelicanPelecanus erythrorhynchos Australian PelicanPelecanus conspicillatus Brown PelicanPelecanus occidentalis Dalmatian PelicanPelecanus crispus Great White PelicanPelecanus onocrotalus Peruvian PelicanPelecanus thagus Pink-backed PelicanPelecanus rufescens

Heard a Spot-billed Pelican?

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