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

Wedge-rumped Storm-Petrel

Hydrobates tethys

A small, dark pelagic seabird distinguished by an exceptionally large, triangular white rump patch that extends down the tail. It is notably one of the few storm-petrel species frequently observed active at breeding colonies during daylight hours.

What it sounds like

A rapid, rhythmic series of high-pitched squeaks and 'wick-et' chatters, typically silent at sea.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 1:50

Rec. Fabrice Schmitt · ChileCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

The Galapagos subspecies is uniquely diurnal at its nesting colonies, a behavior likely evolved due to the relative lack of aerial predators compared to other regions.
Its white rump patch is the largest relative to body size of any storm-petrel, often appearing as a bright 'wedge' even from a distance.
The species is split into two distinct subspecies: H. t. tethys which breeds in the Galapagos and H. t. kelsalli which breeds on islands off the coast of Peru.
Unlike many relatives that follow ships, this species is generally 'ship-neutral' and focuses on foraging along natural oceanic fronts.
They use a 'pattering' flight technique, walking on the water's surface with their feet while hovering to snatch neustonic prey like small fish and squid.

Habitat

Pelagic open ocean; nests in rocky crevices, lava tunnels, and burrows on offshore islands.

Range

Eastern Pacific Ocean, from the waters off Baja California south to central Chile, concentrated around the Galapagos and the Humboldt Current.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Ainley's Storm-PetrelHydrobates cheimomnestes Ashy Storm-PetrelHydrobates homochroa Band-rumped Storm-PetrelHydrobates castro Black Storm-PetrelHydrobates melania Cape Verde Storm-PetrelHydrobates jabejabe European Storm-PetrelHydrobates pelagicus Fork-tailed Storm-PetrelHydrobates furcatus Guadalupe Storm-PetrelHydrobates macrodactylus

Heard a Wedge-rumped Storm-Petrel?

Open Birdsong, tap record, and identify the bird singing near you in seconds — then collect it in your field journal.

Identify a bird by its song