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

American Dipper

Cinclus mexicanus

North America's only truly aquatic songbird, the American Dipper is a stout, slate-gray passerine famous for its habitual bobbing and ability to forage entirely underwater.

What it sounds like

A loud, clear, mockingbird-like song consisting of repeated trills and whistles; the common call is a sharp, metallic 'zeet'.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Peter Ward · CanadaCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It possesses an oversized uropygial gland to provide extra oil for waterproofing its exceptionally dense plumage.
The bird has movable scales that close its nostrils when submerged and a high concentration of hemoglobin to facilitate diving in cold, high-altitude water.
It performs a characteristic 'dipping' motion, bobbing its entire body up to 60 times per minute, which may assist with visual depth perception in turbulent water.
Dippers build mossy, dome-shaped nests with a side entrance, often situated on cliff ledges or bridges directly behind or above waterfalls.
Unlike most songbirds, it undergoes a simultaneous molt of all its primary feathers, rendering it flightless for a short period annually.

Habitat

Fast-flowing, clear, unpolluted mountain streams and rocky rivers.

Range

Western North America, from Alaska and western Canada through the western United States to Central America.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Brown DipperCinclus pallasii Rufous-throated DipperCinclus schulzii Rufous-throated DipperCinclus schulzii White-capped DipperCinclus leucocephalus White-throated DipperCinclus cinclus

Heard a American Dipper?

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