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

Marsh Grassbird

Helopsaltes pryeri

A secretive, heavily streaked Old World warbler restricted to the dense reedbeds and marshes of East Asia. It is the sole representative of its lineage in the region, currently classified as Near Threatened due to specialized habitat loss.

What it sounds like

A repetitive, mechanical series of staccato notes and metallic 'chack' sounds, often ending in a short trill.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 1:20

Rec. Peter Boesman · ChinaCC BY-NC-ND Xeno-canto

Field notes

Formerly classified in the genus Megalurus, recent molecular data moved it to Helopsaltes alongside grasshopper warblers.
The species is known for its dramatic song flight where the male rises 5–10 meters before parachuting back into the reeds.
It possesses unique, pale-edged feathers on its back that create a distinctively high-contrast striped appearance.
The population is highly fragmented, with primary breeding colonies limited to specific sites in Japan and Northeast China.
During winter, many individuals migrate to the Yangtze River basin, though some Japanese populations are resident or short-distance migrants.

Habitat

Expansive, undisturbed Phragmites reedbeds and tall lakeside grasslands.

Range

East Asia, specifically Japan, Northeast China, South Korea, and the Yangtze Valley.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Gray's Grasshopper WarblerHelopsaltes fasciolatus Middendorff's Grasshopper WarblerHelopsaltes ochotensis Pallas's Grasshopper WarblerHelopsaltes certhiola Pleske's Grasshopper WarblerHelopsaltes pleskei Pleske's Grasshopper WarblerHelopsaltes pleskei Sakhalin Grasshopper WarblerHelopsaltes amnicola Sakhalin Grasshopper WarblerHelopsaltes amnicola

Heard a Marsh Grassbird?

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