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

Desert Sparrow

Passer simplex

A pale, resilient passerine specifically adapted to the hyper-arid environments of the Sahara and Central Asia. It is notable for its silver-grey and sandy plumage which provides excellent camouflage against desert substrate.

What it sounds like

A soft, chirping 'dju-dju' and a thin, metallic 'tsip' call, generally quieter and less raspy than the House Sparrow.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Guido O. Keijl · MoroccoCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is highly independent of standing water, obtaining most of its necessary moisture from a diet of seeds and small insects.
The species exhibits sexual dimorphism; males possess a distinct black throat patch and mask, while females are almost entirely sandy-buff.
During the hottest parts of the day, individuals often retreat into the relatively cool microclimates of rodent burrows or rock crevices.
They frequently nest in unconventional locations, including the walls of abandoned desert outposts, wells, or the stick nests of larger birds like Brown-necked Ravens.
The Central Asian subspecies is often recognized by taxonomists as a separate species, the Asian Desert Sparrow (Passer zarudnyi), based on plumage and vocal differences.

Habitat

Sandy deserts with sparse vegetation, dunes, and remote oases far from human encroachment.

Range

North Africa (Sahara Desert) and parts of Central Asia (Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan).

Similar & commonly confused birds

Abd al Kuri SparrowPasser hemileucus Arabian Golden SparrowPasser euchlorus Cape SparrowPasser melanurus Cape Verde SparrowPasser iagoensis Chestnut SparrowPasser eminibey Dead Sea SparrowPasser moabiticus Eurasian Tree SparrowPasser montanus Great Rufous SparrowPasser motitensis

Heard a Desert Sparrow?

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