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

Clay-colored Sparrow

Spizella pallida

A small, pale New World sparrow of the northern Great Plains, characterized by its crisp facial pattern and distinctive gray neck collar.

What it sounds like

A dry, mechanical series of 2–8 low-pitched, buzzy 'bzzz' notes.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Greg Irving · United StatesCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

Features a clean gray 'shawl' or collar that separates its brown-streaked back from its buffy face.
The male's song is remarkably insect-like, consisting of low-pitched, mechanical buzzy notes.
Nests are typically built in low shrubs or small conifers, rarely exceeding one meter above the ground.
It is a frequent host for Brown-headed Cowbird brood parasitism across its breeding range.
During migration and winter, it often forms large, nomadic flocks with other Spizella species like Chipping Sparrows.

Habitat

Shrubby fields, thickets, young conifer plantations, and brushy edges of prairies.

Range

Breeds from south-central Canada through the northern U.S. Great Plains; winters in Mexico and southern Texas.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Black-chinned SparrowSpizella atrogularis Brewer's SparrowSpizella breweri Chipping SparrowSpizella passerina Field SparrowSpizella pusilla Worthen's SparrowSpizella wortheni

Heard a Clay-colored Sparrow?

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