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 Turtle-Dove

Streptopelia turtur

The European Turtle-Dove is a small, slender pigeon renowned for its intricate tortoiseshell plumage and its status as Europe's only long-distance migratory dove. It is widely recognized as a symbol of fidelity and has deep cultural associations with the arrival of spring.

What it sounds like

A distinctive, deep, and rhythmic vibrating purr: 'turrr-turrr-turrr'.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Ian Roberts · United KingdomCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is a trans-Saharan migrant, traveling over 4,000 km between its European breeding grounds and African wintering sites.
The species has experienced a catastrophic population decline of over 90% in some regions since the 1970s due to habitat loss and intensive hunting.
Adult birds feature a distinctive patch of black-and-white diagonal stripes on the side of the neck, which is absent in juveniles.
Unlike many other pigeons, it is a specialized granivore that feeds almost exclusively on the tiny seeds of wildflowers and grasses.
The scientific name 'turtur' is an onomatopoeic representation of its soft, vibrating, purring song.

Habitat

Lowland woodlands, overgrown hedgerows, and scrubland adjacent to open agricultural fields.

Range

Breeds across Europe, North Africa, and Western Asia; winters in the Sahel belt of sub-Saharan Africa.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Adamawa Turtle-DoveStreptopelia hypopyrrha African Collared-DoveStreptopelia roseogrisea Burmese Collared-DoveStreptopelia xanthocycla Dusky Turtle-DoveStreptopelia lugens Eurasian Collared-DoveStreptopelia decaocto Mourning Collared-DoveStreptopelia decipiens Oriental Turtle-DoveStreptopelia orientalis Philippine Collared-DoveStreptopelia dusumieri

Heard a European Turtle-Dove?

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