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

Lichtenstein's Sandgrouse

Pterocles lichtensteinii

A small, intricately barred sandgrouse of arid, rocky environments, distinguished by its crepuscular lifestyle and cryptic plumage. It is primarily sedentary but may move nomadically in search of water and acacia seeds.

What it sounds like

A soft, rhythmic whistling 'whitoo-whitoo' or a liquid 'quie-quie,' typically heard as they fly to water at twilight.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Azens · MoroccoCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

Unlike most sandgrouse species that drink in the morning, this bird is crepuscular, visiting water holes at dusk or under moonlight.
The male features a distinctive black-and-white banded forehead and a yellow orbital ring, while the female is more uniformly barred.
It possesses specialized belly feathers that act like a sponge, allowing males to carry water over long distances to their chicks.
The species is highly dependent on the seeds of Acacia trees, which form the bulk of its specialized diet.
Its plumage provides near-perfect camouflage against the dappled light and shadows of the rocky wadis it inhabits.

Habitat

Rocky hillsides, stony deserts, and dry wadis with scattered acacia scrub.

Range

Widespread across North and East Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, and east into Pakistan and northwest India.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Black-bellied SandgrousePterocles orientalis Black-faced SandgrousePterocles decoratus Burchell's SandgrousePterocles burchelli Chestnut-bellied SandgrousePterocles exustus Crowned SandgrousePterocles coronatus Double-banded SandgrousePterocles bicinctus Four-banded SandgrousePterocles quadricinctus Madagascar SandgrousePterocles personatus

Heard a Lichtenstein's Sandgrouse?

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