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 Tern

Chlidonias leucopterus

The White-winged Tern is a small, striking marsh tern characterized by its distinctive black-and-white breeding plumage and insectivorous diet.

What it sounds like

A dry, rasping 'kerrr' or 'kreet,' generally shorter and harsher than the call of the Black Tern.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 0:56

Rec. Peter Boesman · ChinaCC BY-NC-ND Xeno-canto

Field notes

In breeding plumage, it displays a jet-black body and head contrasting sharply with white wings and a red bill.
Unlike many terns, it rarely dives for fish, instead hawking insects in mid-air or picking them from the water surface.
It belongs to the genus Chlidonias, known as 'marsh terns,' which prefer freshwater habitats over marine environments.
The species is highly migratory, with Palearctic breeders wintering as far south as Africa, Southeast Asia, and Australia.
During the non-breeding season, it loses its black feathers and becomes difficult to distinguish from the Black Tern.

Habitat

Freshwater marshes, shallow lakes, and flooded fields during breeding; coastal lagoons and estuaries during migration.

Range

Breeds across Eurasia from Central Europe to Eastern Russia; winters in Africa, Southern Asia, and Australia.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Black TernChlidonias niger Black-fronted TernChlidonias albostriatus Whiskered TernChlidonias hybrida

Heard a White-winged Tern?

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