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

Straw-necked Ibis

Threskiornis spinicollis

A large, distinctively plumaged wading bird endemic to Australia, recognized by its iridescent wings and specialized straw-like neck feathers.

What it sounds like

Generally silent when foraging, but emits low, guttural croaks and harsh grunts at nesting colonies.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Marc Anderson · AustraliaCC BY-NC-ND Xeno-canto

Field notes

Possesses unique, stiff, yellow feathers on the neck and breast that resemble dried straw, appearing only in mature adults.
Earned the nickname 'Farmer's Friend' due to its massive consumption of agricultural pests like locusts and grasshoppers.
Highly nomadic species that tracks rainfall across the Australian continent to exploit temporary wetlands and food gluts.
Displays a striking metallic iridescence on its black back and wings, reflecting shades of green, bronze, and purple in direct sunlight.
Nests in massive colonies, sometimes numbering in the tens of thousands, often constructed over water in lignum or reed beds.

Habitat

Pastures, grasslands, floodplains, and shallow freshwater wetlands.

Range

Widespread across mainland Australia, Tasmania, and occasionally found in New Guinea and Indonesia.

Similar & commonly confused birds

African Sacred IbisThreskiornis aethiopicus Australian IbisThreskiornis molucca Black-headed IbisThreskiornis melanocephalus Malagasy Sacred IbisThreskiornis bernieri Reunion IbisThreskiornis solitarius Reunion IbisThreskiornis solitarius Straw-necked IbisThreskiornis spinicollis

Heard a Straw-necked Ibis?

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