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-winged Scoter

Melanitta deglandi

The White-winged Scoter is a large, heavy-bodied sea duck recognized by its velvet-black plumage and distinctive white secondary feathers visible during flight.

What it sounds like

Generally silent, but produces thin, whistling notes and low-pitched croaks during courtship or when startled.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 0:16

Rec. Andrew Spencer · CanadaCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is the largest of the three scoter species native to North America.
Adult males feature a unique white comma-shaped patch around the eye and a swollen, orange-tipped bill.
They are specialized molluscivores, using powerful gizzards to crush and digest shellfish swallowed whole.
This species often exhibits 'creching' behavior, where a single female may lead a combined group of ducklings from multiple different broods.
They are among the latest-nesting ducks in North America, with females often not beginning incubation until late June or July.

Habitat

Breeds near freshwater lakes in boreal forests; winters in shallow coastal marine waters and estuaries.

Range

Breeds across Alaska and northwestern Canada; winters along the Pacific and Atlantic coasts of North America and the Great Lakes.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Black ScoterMelanitta americana Common ScoterMelanitta nigra Stejneger's ScoterMelanitta stejnegeri Surf ScoterMelanitta perspicillata Velvet ScoterMelanitta fusca

Heard a White-winged Scoter?

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