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

Sakhalin Grasshopper Warbler

Helopsaltes amnicola

The Sakhalin Grasshopper Warbler is a large, robust sylvioid warbler characterized by its secretive behavior and surprisingly loud, rhythmic song.

What it sounds like

A powerful, repetitive rhythmic phrase often transcribed as 'shwee-shwee-shwee' or 'cho-cho-chee,' lacking the mechanical trill of other grasshopper warblers.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Uku Paal · JapanCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is the largest member of the Helopsaltes genus, formerly classified within Locustella.
Unlike the insect-like 'reeling' songs of its relatives, its song is remarkably loud, clear, and musical.
The species is highly skulking, preferring to move through dense undergrowth like a rodent rather than flying.
It exhibits subtle morphological differences from the Gray's Grasshopper Warbler, primarily in wing length and vocalizations.
During the breeding season, it is most active and vocal at dawn and dusk, often singing from deep within willow thickets.

Habitat

Dense riparian scrub, willow thickets, and tall herbaceous vegetation near water or coastal areas.

Range

Breeds in Sakhalin, southern Kuril Islands, and Hokkaido; winters in the Philippines, Sulawesi, and the Moluccas.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Gray's Grasshopper WarblerHelopsaltes fasciolatus Marsh GrassbirdHelopsaltes pryeri Middendorff's Grasshopper WarblerHelopsaltes ochotensis Pallas's Grasshopper WarblerHelopsaltes certhiola Pleske's Grasshopper WarblerHelopsaltes pleskei Pleske's Grasshopper WarblerHelopsaltes pleskei Sakhalin Grasshopper WarblerHelopsaltes amnicola

Heard a Sakhalin Grasshopper Warbler?

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Identify a bird by its song