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

Imperial Snipe

Gallinago imperialis

The Imperial Snipe is a large, elusive, and dark-plumaged wader restricted to high-altitude Andean cloud forests and páramo edges. It is famous for its crepuscular aerial displays and its long period of presumed extinction before rediscovery.

What it sounds like

Rhythmic, hollow 'kot-kot-kot' vocalizations accompanied by a low-pitched, vibrating hum produced by the tail during flight.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 1:24

Rec. Andrew Spencer · EcuadorCC BY-NC-ND Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is the largest species in the genus Gallinago, characterized by a robust body and a long, heavy bill.
The species was feared extinct for nearly a century until its dramatic rediscovery in 1967.
Unlike most snipes, it possesses striking dark rufous-brown plumage with heavy black barring across its entire underparts.
It performs 'drumming' or 'bleating' displays at dawn and dusk using specialized outer tail feathers to create mechanical sound.
It is a highly localized specialist of the elfin forest-páramo ecotone, typically found at elevations between 2,700 and 3,800 meters.

Habitat

Humid montane elfin forests and the transition zone into high-altitude páramo grasslands.

Range

High Andes of Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.

Similar & commonly confused birds

African SnipeGallinago nigripennis Common SnipeGallinago gallinago Fuegian SnipeGallinago stricklandii Giant SnipeGallinago undulata Great SnipeGallinago media Jameson's SnipeGallinago jamesoni Jameson's SnipeGallinago jamesoni Latham's SnipeGallinago hardwickii

Heard a Imperial Snipe?

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