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

White Stork

Ciconia ciconia

A large, iconic wading bird with distinctive white plumage, black flight feathers, and long red legs and bill. It is renowned for its long-distance migrations and tendency to nest on man-made structures.

What it sounds like

Silent except for a loud, mechanical clattering of the mandibles, which sounds like a rapid wooden rattle.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 0:19

Rec. Le Louaver Manuel · FranceCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

Pairs often return to the same nest annually, adding new material until the structure can weigh over 500 kilograms.
Lacking a functional syrinx, adults are virtually mute and communicate through rhythmic bill-clattering.
They are obligate soaring migrants that utilize thermal updrafts to avoid long, exhausting sea crossings.
In European folklore, they are celebrated as symbols of fertility and are famously associated with delivering newborn babies.
During migration, they can travel up to 20,000 kilometers round-trip between European breeding grounds and African wintering sites.

Habitat

Open wetlands, damp grasslands, and agricultural fields, often nesting on rooftops, chimneys, or pylons.

Range

Breeds across Europe, North Africa, and Western Asia; winters primarily in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Abdim's StorkCiconia abdimii African Woolly-necked StorkCiconia microscelis Asian Woolly-necked StorkCiconia episcopus Black StorkCiconia nigra Maguari StorkCiconia maguari Oriental StorkCiconia boyciana Storm's StorkCiconia stormi

Heard a White Stork?

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