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 Spotted Woodpecker

Dryobates minor

The smallest European woodpecker, roughly the size of a sparrow, identified by its lack of red on the vent and distinctive black-and-white 'ladder' barring on the back. It is a highly active canopy specialist often found in deciduous woodlands.

What it sounds like

A high-pitched, repetitive 'kee-kee-kee-kee-kee' call resembling a kestrel or wryneck.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 0:28

Rec. Lars Edenius · SwedenCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is the smallest woodpecker in the Western Palearctic, weighing only about 20 to 25 grams.
Unlike the Great Spotted Woodpecker, neither sex possesses red feathers on the underparts or vent.
The species specifically forages on the thin, outer branches of the high canopy, often hanging upside down to extract larvae.
Its drumming is notably longer in duration than that of its larger relatives, often lasting over one second with a steady, rapid cadence.
Populations are highly dependent on standing dead wood and soft-wooded trees like birch, alder, and willow for nesting.

Habitat

Open deciduous forests, riparian woodlands, parks, and mature orchards with plenty of dead wood.

Range

Spans the Palearctic from the British Isles and North Africa across Europe and Russia to Japan.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Crimson-naped WoodpeckerDryobates cathpharius Downy WoodpeckerDryobates pubescens Hairy WoodpeckerDryobates villosus Ladder-backed WoodpeckerDryobates scalaris Necklaced WoodpeckerDryobates pernyii Nuttall's WoodpeckerDryobates nuttallii

Heard a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker?

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