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

Buff-breasted Sandpiper

Calidris subruficollis

A small, distinctively warm-toned shorebird known for its preference for dry grasslands and its unique, elaborate lekking behavior.

What it sounds like

A soft, low-pitched 'tik' or 'krwek' in flight; males produce rhythmic clicking and wing-clapping sounds during displays.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Paul Kelly · IrelandCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is one of the few shorebird species that utilizes a lek mating system, where males congregate to perform competitive displays for females.
During courtship, males perform 'wing-flashing,' raising their wings to reveal starkly contrasting bright white underwing coverts.
Unlike most sandpipers, it largely avoids mudflats and water edges, preferring short-grass habitats such as sod farms, airfields, and grazed pastures.
It is a long-distance migrant, traveling up to 30,000 kilometers annually between Arctic breeding grounds and South American wintering sites.
The species experienced a catastrophic population decline in the late 19th century due to unregulated market hunting and is currently a species of high conservation concern.

Habitat

Dry Arctic tundra for breeding; short-grass prairies, pampas, and managed grasslands during migration and winter.

Range

Breeds in the high Arctic of North America and Russia; winters primarily in Argentina, Uruguay, and southern Brazil.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Baird's SandpiperCalidris bairdii Broad-billed SandpiperCalidris falcinellus Curlew SandpiperCalidris ferruginea DunlinCalidris alpina Great KnotCalidris tenuirostris Least SandpiperCalidris minutilla Little StintCalidris minuta Long-toed StintCalidris subminuta

Heard a Buff-breasted Sandpiper?

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