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

European Golden-Plover

Pluvialis apricaria

A medium-sized wader distinguished by its gold-spangled upperparts and striking black-and-white breeding plumage. It is a highly migratory species known for forming vast, synchronized wintering flocks.

What it sounds like

A melancholy, monosyllabic whistle described as a clear, plaintive 'puee' or 'tlui'.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 1:31

Rec. Ulf Elman · SwedenCC BY-NC-ND Xeno-canto

Field notes

In breeding plumage, adults display a solid black face, throat, and belly separated from the gold mantle by a bold white border.
The species was the original catalyst for the creation of the Guinness World Records following an argument about its flight speed.
They utilize a 'run-stop-scan' foraging technique to hunt for earthworms, beetles, and other soil-dwelling invertebrates.
To protect ground nests, parents perform 'distraction displays' by feigning a broken wing to lead predators away from the site.
Wintering populations often associate with Northern Lapwings in massive flocks that exhibit highly coordinated aerial maneuvers.

Habitat

Breeds on upland moors, heaths, and Arctic tundra; winters on lowland pastures, ploughed fields, and coastal estuaries.

Range

Breeds across Northern Europe and Western Asia; migrates to Western Europe, the Mediterranean basin, and North Africa.

Similar & commonly confused birds

American Golden-PloverPluvialis dominica Black-bellied PloverPluvialis squatarola Pacific Golden-PloverPluvialis fulva

Heard a European Golden-Plover?

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