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

Thick-billed Murre

Uria lomvia

The Thick-billed Murre is a large, stocky Arctic seabird known for its exceptional diving depth and tuxedo-like plumage. It is a highly colonial species that spends the majority of its life at sea, returning to land only to breed on steep cliffs.

What it sounds like

A series of harsh, guttural croaks and growls, typically rendered as 'arr-arr-arr' or 'garr-garr'.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 2:22

Rec. Barry Edmonston · NorwayCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It can dive to depths exceeding 200 meters, using its wings to 'fly' underwater in search of fish and crustaceans.
Its eggs are sharply pyriform (pear-shaped), causing them to spin in a tight circle rather than rolling off narrow nesting ledges.
At just three weeks old, flightless chicks perform a 'leap of faith' from high cliffs into the ocean to join their fathers.
It is the heaviest surviving member of the Alcidae family, often weighing nearly 1.5 kilograms.
The species is distinguished from the Common Murre by a prominent white line along the cutting edge of its upper mandible.

Habitat

Sheer coastal cliffs for nesting and offshore pelagic waters for foraging.

Range

Circumpolar Arctic and sub-Arctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Common MurreUria aalge

Heard a Thick-billed Murre?

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