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

Tundra Swan

Cygnus columbianus

A large, elegant white waterfowl of the high Arctic, characterized by its black bill and melodic, high-pitched vocalizations during migration.

What it sounds like

A high-pitched, trumpeting 'who-ho' or flute-like whistling, softer than the Trumpeter Swan.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Flemming H. Nielsen · DenmarkCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

Most individuals possess a small, distinctive yellow spot on the lores at the base of the bill.
Formerly known as the 'Whistling Swan' because of the sound its wings produce in flight.
They migrate thousands of miles in V-formations, often flying at altitudes of several thousand feet.
Pairs typically mate for life and remain together year-round, traveling with their cygnets during the first winter.
They primarily forage for aquatic tubers and stems but have adapted to feeding on waste grain in agricultural fields.

Habitat

Remote Arctic tundra for breeding; coastal bays, estuaries, and flooded fields during winter.

Range

Breeds across the North American Arctic; winters along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts and the Great Basin.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Black SwanCygnus atratus Black-necked SwanCygnus melancoryphus Mute SwanCygnus olor Trumpeter SwanCygnus buccinator Whooper SwanCygnus cygnus

Heard a Tundra Swan?

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