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

Lesser Nighthawk

Chordeiles acutipennis

A small, cryptically patterned nightjar of arid regions, distinguished by its low, fluttering flight and buffy wing patches positioned near the wingtips.

What it sounds like

A rapid, sustained, low-pitched trill or purr, often compared to the sound of a distant motor.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / --:--

Rec. Richard E. Webster · United StatesCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

Its primary wing bars are situated further toward the wingtips than those of the closely related Common Nighthawk.
The species is known for a low-altitude hunting style, often skimming just a few feet above the ground to catch insects.
During the day, it roosts horizontally on branches or the ground, using its disruptive plumage to vanish against the substrate.
Unlike many other caprimulgids, it rarely vocalizes during flight, instead producing its characteristic song while perched.
It is capable of entering torpor, a state of reduced metabolism, to survive cold spells or periods of low food availability.

Habitat

Arid scrublands, desert washes, and dry open country.

Range

Southwestern United States and Mexico through Central America to northern South America.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Antillean NighthawkChordeiles gundlachii Common NighthawkChordeiles minor Least NighthawkChordeiles pusillus Nacunda NighthawkChordeiles nacunda Sand-colored NighthawkChordeiles rupestris

Heard a Lesser Nighthawk?

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