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 Sandpiper

Actitis hypoleucos

A small, energetic Palearctic wader easily identified by its distinctive tail-bobbing motion and stiff-winged, flickering flight low over water.

What it sounds like

A shrill, high-pitched, and repetitive 'twee-wee-wee' or 'pips-pips-pips' usually emitted when flushed.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 0:39

Rec. Dag Österlund · SwedenCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

Commonly exhibits a persistent 'teetering' behavior, rhythmically bobbing its tail up and down while foraging.
Displays a prominent white 'wedge' or 'spur' extending upwards between the brown breast side and the wing shoulder.
Unlike many gregarious shorebirds, it is typically solitary or found in small, loose family groups rather than large flocks.
Nests are usually placed on the ground in dense vegetation, sometimes located a significant distance from the water's edge.
Performs a unique flight display characterized by shallow, stiff wingbeats interspersed with short glides on bowed wings.

Habitat

Stony or gravelly margins of freshwater rivers, lakes, and reservoirs, as well as coastal estuaries and saltmarshes during migration.

Range

Breeds across temperate Eurasia; migrates to wintering grounds in Africa, southern Asia, and Australasia.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Spotted SandpiperActitis macularius

Heard a Common Sandpiper?

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Identify a bird by its song