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

Northern Harrier

Circus hudsonius

A slender, low-flying raptor of open landscapes, easily identified by its white rump patch and owl-like facial disk.

What it sounds like

A rapid, piercing series of 'kek-kek-kek' notes, primarily heard during courtship or at the nest site.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 0:34

Rec. Valerie Heemstra · United StatesCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

Possesses a disk of stiff facial feathers that funnels sound to its ears, allowing it to hunt by hearing like an owl.
Exhibits extreme sexual dimorphism: males are pale grey ('Grey Ghosts'), while females and juveniles are streaky brown.
Nests on the ground in thick vegetation, a rarity among North American hawks.
Usually flies with its wings held in a distinctive dihedral (V-shape) to maintain stability while gliding at low speeds.
Practices a polygynous mating system where a single male may maintain territories for up to five breeding females.

Habitat

Freshwater and saltwater marshes, wet meadows, grasslands, and prairies.

Range

Widespread across North America, breeding from Alaska to the northern US and wintering as far south as Panama.

Similar & commonly confused birds

African Marsh HarrierCircus ranivorus Black HarrierCircus maurus Cinereous HarrierCircus cinereus Eastern Marsh HarrierCircus spilonotus Hen HarrierCircus cyaneus Long-winged HarrierCircus buffoni Malagasy HarrierCircus macrosceles Montagu's HarrierCircus pygargus

Heard a Northern Harrier?

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