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

Olive-backed Pipit

Anthus hodgsoni

A small, olive-tinged passerine of the Motacillidae family, characterized by its bold facial pattern and preference for wooded environments over open fields.

What it sounds like

A high-pitched, thin 'tseep' or 'spek' call; the song is a rapid, melodic series of trills often delivered from a high perch or during a brief song-flight.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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

Field notes

Distinguished from the similar Tree Pipit by a prominent white supercilium and a distinct white spot located on the rear ear coverts.
Exhibits a characteristic habit of slowly wagging its tail up and down while foraging or perched.
Unlike many other pipit species, it frequently flies into trees for cover when disturbed rather than remaining on the ground.
The species is divided into two subspecies: the northern 'yunnanensis' and the Himalayan 'hodgsoni'.
It is a long-distance migrant, with northern populations traveling thousands of kilometers to winter in Southeast Asia.

Habitat

Boreal and temperate coniferous or mixed forests with open understories, mountain slopes, and wintering in wooded gardens or plantations.

Range

Breeds across the northern Palearctic from Siberia to Japan and in the Himalayas; winters across South and Southeast Asia.

Similar & commonly confused birds

African PipitAnthus cinnamomeus Alpine PipitAnthus gutturalis American PipitAnthus rubescens Australian PipitAnthus australis Berthelot's PipitAnthus berthelotii Blyth's PipitAnthus godlewskii Buffy PipitAnthus vaalensis Bush PipitAnthus caffer

Heard a Olive-backed Pipit?

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Identify a bird by its song