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

Collared Pratincole

Glareola pratincola

A graceful, long-winged wader that behaves more like a swallow or tern, specialized for hunting insects in mid-air.

What it sounds like

A sharp, metallic, and tern-like 'kyik' or a chattering 'kitti-kirrik'.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Tom Cooney · SpainCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is primarily crepuscular, performing agile aerial maneuvers to catch insects during dawn and dusk.
Despite being a shorebird, it has very short legs and lacks the typical long-billed probing behavior of its relatives.
The species is distinguished from the similar Black-winged Pratincole by its chestnut-colored underwing coverts.
When nesting on the ground, it uses a dramatic 'broken-wing' display to lure predators away from its eggs.
The name 'pratincole' comes from the Latin 'pratum' (meadow) and 'incola' (inhabitant), reflecting its preferred terrain.

Habitat

Open mudflats, salt marshes, and dry areas near shallow alkaline or fresh water.

Range

Breeds in Southern Europe, North Africa, and Western Asia; winters in sub-Saharan Africa.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Australian PratincoleGlareola isabella Black-winged PratincoleGlareola nordmanni Gray PratincoleGlareola cinerea Madagascar PratincoleGlareola ocularis Oriental PratincoleGlareola maldivarum Rock PratincoleGlareola nuchalis Small PratincoleGlareola lactea

Heard a Collared Pratincole?

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