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-footed Gull

Larus livens

A large, dark-mantled gull endemic to the Gulf of California, easily distinguished by its heavy bill and striking yellow legs.

What it sounds like

A deep, resonant series of barking 'ki-hou' notes or a low-pitched, laughing 'ha-ha-ha'.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Manuel Grosselet · MexicoCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It was considered a subspecies of the Western Gull until 1982 when it was granted full species status.
The species has a very restricted breeding range, nesting almost exclusively on islands within the Gulf of California.
Unlike many similar gulls, adults retain their bright yellow leg coloration throughout the entire year.
It is a highly opportunistic predator, frequently scavenging or preying on the eggs and chicks of other nesting seabirds.
Juveniles possess a unique 'four-year' plumage cycle, transitioning through distinct mottled brown phases before reaching maturity.

Habitat

Coastal beaches, rocky island cliffs, and salt-lake mudflats.

Range

The Gulf of California in Mexico and the Salton Sea in Southern California.

Similar & commonly confused birds

American Herring GullLarus smithsonianus Armenian GullLarus armenicus Belcher's GullLarus belcheri Black-tailed GullLarus crassirostris California GullLarus californicus Caspian GullLarus cachinnans Common GullLarus canus European Herring GullLarus argentatus

Heard a Yellow-footed Gull?

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