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

Common Poorwill

Phalaenoptilus nuttallii

The Common Poorwill is a small, nocturnal nightjar famous for being the only bird species known to enter a state of true hibernation for weeks or months at a time.

What it sounds like

A repetitive, whistled 'poor-will' or 'poor-will-low,' typically heard at dusk, dawn, or during moonlit nights.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 0:27

Rec. Gregory Askew · United StatesCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It can lower its body temperature to as low as 40°F and reduce oxygen consumption by more than 90% during torpor.
The Hopi people named it 'hölchoko,' which translates to 'The Sleeping One,' long before Western science documented its hibernation.
It is the smallest nightjar in North America, distinguished by its short tail and exceptionally cryptic, leaf-like plumage.
Unlike most other goatsuckers, it often hunts by sallying upward from a seated position on the ground rather than flying continuously.
Nesting occurs directly on the ground, usually on bare soil or gravel, with no nesting materials used to protect the two eggs.

Habitat

Dry, open landscapes including desert scrub, rocky canyons, and pinyon-juniper or ponderosa pine forests.

Range

Western North America, extending from southern British Columbia through the western United States into central Mexico.

Heard a Common Poorwill?

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