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

Gray-headed Lapwing

Vanellus cinereus

The Gray-headed Lapwing is a distinctive East Asian wader known for its striking gray plumage, yellow facial wattles, and bold black breast band. It is a migratory plover that thrives in both natural wetlands and human-modified agricultural landscapes.

What it sounds like

A sharp, piercing 'chee-it' or a rhythmic, nasal 'kink-kink' typically delivered during flight.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Lim Ying Hien 林勇贤 · ChinaCC BY-NC-ND Xeno-canto

Field notes

Features prominent yellow lappets (wattles) between the bill and the eyes.
Lacks a hind toe, which is a specialized adaptation found in several Vanellus species.
Exhibits highly aggressive territorial behavior, frequently dive-bombing intruders near its ground-nesting sites.
Displays a stark white wing patch in flight that contrasts sharply with black primaries.
Its population has shown an expanding wintering range, increasingly being sighted in western India and parts of the Philippines.

Habitat

Rice paddies, marshes, riverbanks, and moist grasslands.

Range

Breeds in Northeast China and Japan; winters across Southeast Asia, Northeast India, and Southern China.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Andean LapwingVanellus resplendens Banded LapwingVanellus tricolor Black-headed LapwingVanellus tectus Black-winged LapwingVanellus melanopterus Blacksmith LapwingVanellus armatus Brown-chested LapwingVanellus superciliosus Crowned LapwingVanellus coronatus Javan LapwingVanellus macropterus

Heard a Gray-headed Lapwing?

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