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

Yellow-billed Loon

Gavia adamsii

The Yellow-billed Loon is the largest and rarest member of the loon family, distinguished by its massive, straw-colored bill held at a characteristic upward tilt.

What it sounds like

A series of deep, resonant, and mournful yodels and tremolos, generally lower in pitch and more sonorous than the Common Loon.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Seth Beaudreault (Toolik Field Station) · United StatesCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is the largest of all five loon species, with a wingspan reaching up to 59 inches.
The distinctive ivory-yellow bill features a straight culmen and an angled lower mandible, creating an 'upturned' appearance.
As high-Arctic specialists, they nest exclusively on the tundra near large, deep freshwater lakes with abundant fish.
During winter, they lose their striking checkered plumage and move to coastal marine environments, often staying further offshore than other loons.
It is a species of conservation concern with a relatively small global population estimated at fewer than 30,000 individuals.

Habitat

Freshwater tundra lakes for breeding; ice-free coastal marine waters and bays during winter.

Range

Circumpolar Arctic regions of Alaska, Canada, and Russia; wintering along the North Pacific and Norwegian coasts.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Arctic LoonGavia arctica Common LoonGavia immer Pacific LoonGavia pacifica Red-throated LoonGavia stellata

Heard a Yellow-billed Loon?

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