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 Pratincole

Glareola cinerea

A small, elegant wader of tropical African river systems, characterized by its unusually pale plumage and tern-like aerial grace.

What it sounds like

A sharp, metallic 'kik-kik-kik' or a rapid, chattering 'tirrit-tirrit' sequence.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 1:31

Rec. Fernand DEROUSSEN · CameroonCC BY-NC-ND Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is the palest of all pratincoles, featuring a distinctive silvery-grey upperpart and bright orange-red legs.
Unlike most waders, it primarily hunts insects in mid-air, using agile, swallow-like flight maneuvers.
The species is highly crepuscular, becoming most active and vocal during the twilight hours of dawn and dusk.
Nesting occurs in simple scrapes directly on exposed sandbars or rocks, often in the middle of large, fast-flowing rivers.
Its breeding season is strictly synchronized with the dry season to coincide with the emergence of seasonal sandbanks.

Habitat

Large tropical rivers with extensive sandbars, rocky islands, and exposed flats during low water cycles.

Range

West and Central Africa, centered around the Niger, Benue, Congo, and upper Zambezi river systems.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Australian PratincoleGlareola isabella Black-winged PratincoleGlareola nordmanni Collared PratincoleGlareola pratincola Madagascar PratincoleGlareola ocularis Oriental PratincoleGlareola maldivarum Rock PratincoleGlareola nuchalis Small PratincoleGlareola lactea

Heard a Gray Pratincole?

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