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

Least Bittern

Botaurus exilis

The Least Bittern is the smallest heron in North America, a highly secretive bird that thrives in the dense cover of marshy wetlands. It is more often heard than seen, utilizing its slender frame to navigate through thick aquatic vegetation.

What it sounds like

A soft, rhythmic, and low-pitched 'coo-coo-coo' or 'uh-uh-uh' typically given by the male.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

No reference call found yet · Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is the smallest member of the Ardeidae family in the Western Hemisphere, measuring only 11 to 14 inches in length.
The bird often moves through marshes by straddling reed stalks, gripping them with its large, powerful feet rather than wading in the water.
When threatened, it adopts a 'bittern stance,' pointing its bill straight up and swaying slowly to mimic the surrounding reeds in the wind.
Despite their small size, they possess a highly flexible esophagus that allows them to swallow surprisingly large prey, including small fish and dragonflies.
They are capable of compressing their bodies laterally to slip through incredibly narrow gaps in dense cattails and bulrushes.

Habitat

Freshwater and brackish marshes with tall, dense emergent vegetation like cattails, reeds, and rushes.

Range

Breeds across the eastern and central United States and southern Canada; winters in the southern US, Mexico, and Central America.

Similar & commonly confused birds

American BitternBotaurus lentiginosus Australasian BitternBotaurus poiciloptilus Black BitternBotaurus flavicollis Black-backed BitternBotaurus dubius Cinnamon BitternBotaurus cinnamomeus Dwarf BitternBotaurus sturmii Eurasian BitternBotaurus stellaris Great BitternBotaurus stellaris

Heard a Least Bittern?

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