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

Harris's Sparrow

Zonotrichia querula

The Harris's Sparrow is North America's largest sparrow, easily identified by its striking black crown, face, and bib contrasted against a gray head.

What it sounds like

A series of clear, high-pitched, wavering whistles, usually delivered on one or two steady notes.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 0:22

Rec. Gregory Askew · United StatesCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is the only bird species that breeds exclusively within the borders of Canada.
Winter social hierarchy is determined by plumage, where individuals with the largest black bibs are dominant over those with less black.
The species was first described by Thomas Nuttall in 1834 and named after his friend and fellow naturalist, Edward Harris.
They are late-season migrants, often waiting until the first heavy frosts to move south to their wintering grounds.
Because of its remote breeding range, its nest was not discovered by ornithologists until 1931.

Habitat

Stunted boreal forest and shrubby tundra edges during breeding; hedgerows, thickets, and riparian woodlands in winter.

Range

Breeds in north-central Canada; winters primarily in the Great Plains of the central United States.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Golden-crowned SparrowZonotrichia atricapilla Rufous-collared SparrowZonotrichia capensis White-crowned SparrowZonotrichia leucophrys White-throated SparrowZonotrichia albicollis

Heard a Harris's Sparrow?

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