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 Prairie-Chicken

Tympanuchus pallidicinctus

The Lesser Prairie-Chicken is a medium-sized grouse of the southern Great Plains, renowned for the elaborate communal courtship displays performed by males during the spring.

What it sounds like

A series of hollow, bubbling 'booms' accompanied by high-pitched cackles, whistles, and rhythmic drumming from foot-stomping.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 1:43

Rec. Matt Wistrand · United StatesCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

Males inflate bright reddish-orange esophageal air sacs to produce resonant 'booming' sounds during lekking.
The species is slightly smaller and possesses paler plumage barring than its close relative, the Greater Prairie-Chicken.
They are considered a 'boom-and-bust' species, with population sizes fluctuating dramatically based on annual rainfall and drought cycles.
Courtship displays on communal leks involve rapid foot-stomping, tail-fanning, and jumping to attract females.
The species is currently split into two Distinct Population Segments under the Endangered Species Act: the Southern (Endangered) and Northern (Threatened).

Habitat

Shortgrass and mixed-grass prairies dominated by sand sagebrush or shinnery oak scrublands.

Range

Fragmented portions of western Kansas, southeast Colorado, the Oklahoma and Texas Panhandles, and eastern New Mexico.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Greater Prairie-ChickenTympanuchus cupido Sharp-tailed GrouseTympanuchus phasianellus

Heard a Lesser Prairie-Chicken?

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