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

Red-necked Phalarope

Phalaropus lobatus

A small, dainty shorebird characterized by reversed sexual dimorphism and a highly pelagic non-breeding lifestyle.

What it sounds like

Short, sharp, metallic 'prip' or 'twit' notes, often given in rapid succession during flight.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Dag Österlund · SwedenCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

Females are more brightly colored than males and compete for mates, a rarity among avian species.
They feed by spinning rapidly in circles on the water to create a vortex that brings small invertebrates to the surface.
After the female lays the eggs, the male provides all parental care, including incubation and chick-rearing.
Despite being shorebirds, they spend the majority of the year at sea, often near nutrient-rich upwellings.
They possess specialized lobed toes, similar to grebes, which facilitate both swimming and walking on soft mud.

Habitat

Arctic tundra wetlands during breeding; open oceans and saline lakes during migration and winter.

Range

Circumpolar breeding range; winters in tropical oceans including the Pacific and Indian Oceans.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Red PhalaropePhalaropus fulicarius Wilson's PhalaropePhalaropus tricolor

Heard a Red-necked Phalarope?

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