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

Whooping Crane

Grus americana

The tallest bird in North America, the Whooping Crane is a critically endangered species known for its snowy white plumage and bugling calls. It serves as an iconic symbol of wildlife conservation after rebounding from the brink of extinction.

What it sounds like

A loud, resonant, single-note bugle or trumpeting 'whoop' that can carry for several miles.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 0:39

Rec. Sue Riffe · United StatesCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is the tallest bird in North America, standing nearly five feet (1.5 meters) tall.
The wild population reached a low of only 15 individuals in 1941 before intensive recovery efforts began.
Their windpipe is approximately five feet long, coiled within the breastbone to produce resonant, trumpet-like calls.
Adults exhibit a distinct patch of red skin on the crown and black primary feathers visible only during flight.
Conservationists have used ultralight aircraft to lead captive-bred juveniles along ancestral migration routes to reestablish populations.

Habitat

Marshes, wet prairies, coastal lagoons, and salt flats.

Range

Breeds in Wood Buffalo National Park (Canada); winters primarily at Aransas National Wildlife Refuge (Texas, USA).

Similar & commonly confused birds

Black-necked CraneGrus nigricollis Blue CraneGrus paradiseus Common CraneGrus grus Demoiselle CraneGrus virgo Hooded CraneGrus monacha Red-crowned CraneGrus japonensis Wattled CraneGrus carunculatus

Heard a Whooping Crane?

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