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

Mountain Plover

Anarhynchus montanus

A cryptic, ground-dwelling shorebird of the shortgrass prairie that is misleadingly named, as it avoids mountainous terrain in favor of flat, arid plains.

What it sounds like

Typically quiet, but gives a low, raspy 'krrt' or a whistling 'klee-o' during the breeding season.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

No reference call found yet · Xeno-canto

Field notes

Despite its name, it is a 'prairie plover' that breeds in high-elevation grasslands and semi-desert flats rather than rocky peaks.
The species often associates with black-tailed prairie dog colonies, as the rodents keep vegetation short enough for the plovers' visibility needs.
They employ a 'double-clutch' breeding system where a female lays one set of eggs for the male to incubate and a second set for herself.
When threatened, they frequently 'drop-and-squat,' relying on their sandy, tawny plumage to blend perfectly into the bare soil.
Unlike most shorebirds, they are rarely found near water, obtaining necessary moisture primarily from their diet of insects like grasshoppers and beetles.

Habitat

Shortgrass prairies, disturbed sites with sparse vegetation, and fallow agricultural fields.

Range

Breeds in the Western Great Plains (Montana to New Mexico); winters in California's Central Valley, Southern Arizona, and Northern Mexico.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Caspian PloverAnarhynchus asiaticus Chestnut-banded PloverAnarhynchus pallidus Collared PloverAnarhynchus collaris Double-banded PloverAnarhynchus bicinctus Greater Sand-PloverAnarhynchus leschenaultii Javan PloverAnarhynchus javanicus Javan PloverAnarhynchus javanicus Kentish PloverAnarhynchus alexandrinus

Heard a Mountain Plover?

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