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

Tufted Duck

Aythya fuligula

A medium-sized diving duck easily identified by its distinctive head crest and striking yellow eyes. It is a common sight on open freshwater bodies across Eurasia.

What it sounds like

Generally silent, but females produce a harsh, growling 'karr' and males a soft, whistling 'wi-oo' during courtship.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 0:29

Rec. Lars Edenius · SwedenCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

The male features a long, drooping occipital crest that gives the species its common name.
Their population significantly expanded across Europe following the spread of the invasive zebra mussel, a preferred food source.
They are proficient divers, typically submerged for about 30 seconds while foraging for mollusks and aquatic insects.
Females are primarily dark brown and may exhibit a small white patch at the base of the bill, mimicking a female Scaup.
Tufted Ducks are highly gregarious and often form large 'rafts' on wintering grounds, sometimes numbering in the thousands.

Habitat

Large lakes, reservoirs, ponds, and slow-flowing rivers; occasionally found in brackish coastal lagoons.

Range

Widespread across temperate and northern Eurasia; migrates to southern Europe, Africa, and southern Asia for winter.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Baer's PochardAythya baeri CanvasbackAythya valisineria Common PochardAythya ferina Ferruginous DuckAythya nyroca Greater ScaupAythya marila HardheadAythya australis Lesser ScaupAythya affinis Madagascar PochardAythya innotata

Heard a Tufted Duck?

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Identify a bird by its song