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

Rough-legged Hawk

Buteo lagopus

A large, migratory Buteo of the high Arctic, characterized by its feathered tarsi and habit of hovering while hunting over open terrain.

What it sounds like

A loud, downward-slurring, cat-like whistle or scream described as 'keee-eer'.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Lars Edenius · SwedenCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

One of only three North American raptors with feathers extending down to the toes as an adaptation for frigid climates.
Known for 'kiting,' a behavior where the hawk hovers in place against the wind to scan for small mammal prey.
Exhibits significant plumage dimorphism, occurring in distinct light-morph and dark-morph variations across its range.
Nests almost exclusively on cliff ledges or rocky outcrops within the treeless Arctic tundra.
Populations are highly dependent on the cyclic abundance of lemmings and voles in their northern breeding grounds.

Habitat

Arctic tundra during the breeding season; open grasslands, prairies, and agricultural fields during winter.

Range

Circumpolar Holarctic; breeds in Arctic North America and Eurasia, wintering in temperate latitudes.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Augur BuzzardButeo augur Broad-winged HawkButeo platypterus Common BuzzardButeo buteo Eastern BuzzardButeo japonicus Ferruginous HawkButeo regalis Forest BuzzardButeo trizonatus Galapagos HawkButeo galapagoensis Gray HawkButeo plagiatus

Heard a Rough-legged Hawk?

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