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 Ringed Plover

Charadrius hiaticula

The Common Ringed Plover is a compact, energetic shorebird characterized by a bold black-and-white breast band and a distinctive orange-and-black bill.

What it sounds like

A soft, melodic, rising whistle described as a liquid 'too-it' or 'pu-wi'.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 0:20

Rec. Lars Edenius · SwedenCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

Employs a 'foot-trembling' technique where it vibrates the sand with one foot to lure buried invertebrates to the surface.
Performs a dramatic 'broken-wing display' to feign injury and lead potential predators away from its nest or chicks.
Lacks the significant interdigital webbing found in its close relative, the Semipalmated Plover.
Nests are simple ground scrapes often lined with small pebbles or shell fragments to provide camouflage for the eggs.
Populations breeding in high-latitude Arctic regions are long-distance migrants, with some traveling as far as South Africa for the winter.

Habitat

Primarily sandy and shingle beaches, estuaries, and salt marshes; also found in inland gravel pits and Arctic tundra.

Range

Breeds across northern Eurasia, Greenland, and Northeast Canada; winters in coastal Europe, Africa, and the Persian Gulf.

Similar & commonly confused birds

KilldeerCharadrius vociferus Piping PloverCharadrius melodus Semipalmated PloverCharadrius semipalmatus

Heard a Common Ringed Plover?

Open Birdsong, tap record, and identify the bird singing near you in seconds — then collect it in your field journal.

Identify a bird by its song