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

Bristle-thighed Curlew

Numenius tahitiensis

The Bristle-thighed Curlew is a unique medium-sized shorebird known for its remarkable trans-Pacific migrations and specialized feathers. It is distinguished by its long, decurved bill and its status as the only shorebird that becomes flightless during its winter molt.

What it sounds like

A loud, clear, rising whistle often transcribed as 'chi-u-it' or a melodic 'poo-eet'.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. AUDEVARD Aurélien · FranceCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is the only shorebird known to regularly use tools, employing stones to crack open the tough shells of albatross and frigatebird eggs.
During their winter stay on Pacific islands, approximately 50% of the population undergoes a flightless molt, leaving them vulnerable to predators.
The species' name is derived from unique, stiff, hair-like feather shafts (bristles) located at the base of its legs.
It performs an incredible non-stop trans-oceanic migration of over 2,500 miles from Alaska to the central Pacific.
Its remote nesting grounds in the Alaskan tundra remained a mystery to ornithologists until they were finally discovered in 1948.

Habitat

Arctic tundra and montane slopes during breeding; coral reefs, sandy beaches, and mangroves during winter.

Range

Breeds exclusively in western Alaska; winters on remote islands across the central and south Pacific Ocean.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Eskimo CurlewNumenius borealis Eurasian CurlewNumenius arquata Eurasian WhimbrelNumenius phaeopus Far Eastern CurlewNumenius madagascariensis Hudsonian WhimbrelNumenius hudsonicus Little CurlewNumenius minutus Long-billed CurlewNumenius americanus Slender-billed CurlewNumenius tenuirostris

Heard a Bristle-thighed Curlew?

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