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

Plain Martin

Riparia paludicola

A small, unassuming swallow with uniform brown upperparts and pale underparts, distinguished from similar species by its lack of a distinct breast band.

What it sounds like

A soft, rasping 'tshree' or a quiet, chattering twittering often heard during flight.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Ken Behrens · MadagascarCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is a colonial nester that excavates deep tunnels, sometimes over a meter long, into vertical sandy riverbanks.
Unlike the similar Sand Martin, it lacks a well-defined dark band across its white or pale brown chest.
The species displays a characteristically fluttering and jerky flight pattern while hunting aerial insects over water.
It is highly gregarious, often roosting in large numbers within reedbeds during the non-breeding season.
While many populations are sedentary, others are partial migrants that move in response to seasonal rainfall and water levels.

Habitat

Freshwater wetlands, rivers, and lakes with nearby vertical earth or sand banks for nesting.

Range

Sub-Saharan Africa, Madagascar, and parts of South and Southeast Asia.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Bank SwallowRiparia riparia Congo MartinRiparia congica Gray-throated MartinRiparia chinensis Madagascar MartinRiparia cowani Pale MartinRiparia diluta

Heard a Plain Martin?

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