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

Rock Pratincole

Glareola nuchalis

A small, elegant wader of African river systems, easily identified by its dark plumage, forked tail, and prominent white or rufous nuchal collar.

What it sounds like

A series of high-pitched, whistling 'tirree-tirree' notes or sharp, metallic 'peep' sounds.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Dries Van de Loock · ZambiaCC BY-NC-ND Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is primarily crepuscular, hunting aerial insects with tern-like agility during the dim light of dawn and dusk.
Unlike most waders, it nests directly on bare rock surfaces, often on mid-river boulders exposed by falling water levels.
The species is divided into two distinct subspecies groups based on whether their neck collar is white or rufous.
It is an intra-African migrant, moving long distances to track the seasonal emergence of rocky outcrops in major river basins.
To protect eggs from high temperatures on exposed rocks, adults will wet their belly feathers to cool the clutch through evaporation.

Habitat

Fast-flowing perennial rivers and streams featuring exposed rocky outcrops, islands, and rapids.

Range

Sub-Saharan Africa, ranging from Ethiopia and Sierra Leone south to the Zambezi and Limpopo river systems.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Australian PratincoleGlareola isabella Black-winged PratincoleGlareola nordmanni Collared PratincoleGlareola pratincola Gray PratincoleGlareola cinerea Madagascar PratincoleGlareola ocularis Oriental PratincoleGlareola maldivarum Small PratincoleGlareola lactea

Heard a Rock Pratincole?

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