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

Kittlitz's Plover

Anarhynchus pecuarius

A small, long-legged shorebird widespread across Africa, renowned for its unique behavior of burying its eggs to hide them from predators.

What it sounds like

A sharp, high-pitched 'pip-ip' or 'tit-it' and a liquid, trilling whistle given during flight.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

No reference call found yet · Xeno-canto

Field notes

When leaving the nest, the adult uses its feet to rapidly kick sand or debris over the eggs, completely concealing them within seconds.
It is named after the German naturalist and artist Friedrich Heinrich von Kittlitz, who first described the species in the early 19th century.
Adults perform a convincing 'broken-wing' display to lure potential predators away from their nesting site or young chicks.
Unlike many other plovers, it often forages and nests in dry, open habitats quite far from the immediate water's edge.
The species is highly opportunistic and will occupy newly formed habitats, such as drying dams or recently cleared land.

Habitat

Dry mudflats, short-grass inland plains, alkaline lakeshores, and sandy coastal dunes.

Range

Sub-Saharan Africa, Madagascar, and the Nile River Valley in Egypt.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Caspian PloverAnarhynchus asiaticus Chestnut-banded PloverAnarhynchus pallidus Collared PloverAnarhynchus collaris Double-banded PloverAnarhynchus bicinctus Greater Sand-PloverAnarhynchus leschenaultii Javan PloverAnarhynchus javanicus Javan PloverAnarhynchus javanicus Kentish PloverAnarhynchus alexandrinus

Heard a Kittlitz's Plover?

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