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

Saker Falcon

Falco cherrug

The Saker Falcon is a large, powerful raptor of the open steppe, renowned for its physical strength and horizontal pursuit of agile prey. It holds significant cultural importance in falconry and is currently classified as an endangered species.

What it sounds like

A series of harsh, rhythmic 'kyak-kyak-kyak' or 'hek-hek-hek' notes, typically higher-pitched than those of the Peregrine Falcon.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Frank Lambert · MongoliaCC BY-NC-ND Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is the second largest falcon species in the world, smaller only than the Gyrfalcon.
Unlike the Peregrine Falcon, which typically hunts from a high stoop, the Saker often pursues prey horizontally close to the ground.
They do not construct their own nests, instead utilizing abandoned stick nests of other large birds or bare cliff ledges.
The species is the national bird of several countries, including Hungary, Mongolia, and the United Arab Emirates.
The population has faced severe declines due to electrocution on power lines and illegal trapping for the international falconry trade.

Habitat

Open grasslands, steppes, semi-deserts, and arid mountain plateaus.

Range

Palearctic realm, ranging from Central Europe across Central Asia to Manchuria, with wintering grounds in Northeast Africa and South Asia.

Similar & commonly confused birds

African HobbyFalco cuvierii American KestrelFalco sparverius Amur FalconFalco amurensis Aplomado FalconFalco femoralis Australian HobbyFalco longipennis Banded KestrelFalco zoniventris Bat FalconFalco rufigularis Black FalconFalco subniger

Heard a Saker Falcon?

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