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

Greater Prairie-Chicken

Tympanuchus cupido

The Greater Prairie-Chicken is a stocky, ground-dwelling grouse of the North American grasslands, renowned for the elaborate communal courtship displays performed by males during the spring.

What it sounds like

A low-frequency, haunting 'old-ooh-oom' boom, often compared to the sound of blowing across the neck of an empty glass bottle.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 2:46

Rec. Sue Riffe · United StatesCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

Males possess vibrant orange esophageal air sacs that inflate to produce a resonant 'booming' sound during displays.
During courtship, males raise specialized neck feathers called pinnae that resemble horns.
The species performs at communal display sites known as leks, where males defend small territories and compete for the attention of visiting females.
They are non-migratory birds that remain in their prairie habitats year-round, often burrowing into snow for insulation during harsh winters.
Population numbers have plummeted significantly since the 19th century due to the conversion of native tallgrass prairie into agricultural land.

Habitat

Native tallgrass and mixed-grass prairies with minimal tree cover and high-quality nesting cover.

Range

Central North America, primarily concentrated in the Great Plains states such as Kansas, Nebraska, and South Dakota.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Lesser Prairie-ChickenTympanuchus pallidicinctus Sharp-tailed GrouseTympanuchus phasianellus

Heard a Greater Prairie-Chicken?

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