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

Black-fronted Dotterel

Thinornis melanops

A small, elegantly marked plover characterized by a bold black V-shaped chest band and a striking red eye-ring. It is a common sight around freshwater margins throughout Australia and New Zealand.

What it sounds like

A sharp, high-pitched metallic 'pink-pink' or 'teet-teet', frequently uttered during flight.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

No reference call found yet · Xeno-canto

Field notes

Features a distinctive chestnut-colored scapular patch that contrasts with its grey-brown upperparts.
Utilizes a 'foot-trembling' foraging technique to vibrate the substrate and flush out small aquatic invertebrates.
Nests in a simple scrape on the ground, typically among pebbles or shingle where its speckled eggs are perfectly camouflaged.
Successfully self-colonized New Zealand from Australia in the mid-20th century, with the first breeding record documented in 1954.
Adults perform elaborate 'broken-wing' distraction displays to lead potential predators away from their vulnerable ground nests.

Habitat

Shallow margins of freshwater wetlands, shingle riverbeds, farm dams, and temporary inland floods.

Range

Widespread throughout mainland Australia and established across the North and South Islands of New Zealand.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Forbes's PloverThinornis forbesi Hooded PloverThinornis cucullatus Little Ringed PloverThinornis dubius Long-billed PloverThinornis placidus Shore PloverThinornis novaeseelandiae Three-banded PloverThinornis tricollaris Three-banded PloverThinornis tricollaris

Heard a Black-fronted Dotterel?

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