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

Sage Thrasher

Oreoscoptes montanus

The Sage Thrasher is the smallest North American thrasher and a quintessential specialist of the vast western sagebrush steppes. It is a pale, heavily streaked bird known for its complex, melodic song and elusive terrestrial behavior.

What it sounds like

A long, tireless series of clear, warbling phrases and mimicry; call is a sharp, dry 'chuck'.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Ed Pandolfino · United StatesCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is the only species in the genus Oreoscoptes, making it evolutionarily distinct from other thrashers.
Unlike most other thrashers, it is a long-distance migrant, often arriving on breeding grounds while snow is still present.
Nests are typically built deep within or directly under sagebrush shrubs to provide a thermal buffer against intense desert heat.
During courtship, males perform a distinctive display flight, hovering slowly over the brush while singing.
While primarily insectivorous in summer, they shift to a diet dominated by berries and small fruits during the winter months.

Habitat

Open plains and arid shrublands dominated by big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata).

Range

Breeds across the Great Basin and Intermountain West; winters in the Southwestern U.S. and Northern Mexico.

Heard a Sage Thrasher?

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