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

Saltmarsh Sparrow

Ammospiza caudacuta

A small, secretive New World sparrow with a buffy-orange face, uniquely adapted to spend its entire life cycle in the tidal salt marshes of the Atlantic coast.

What it sounds like

A faint, wheezy, and hissing song that sounds like a whispered, scrambled 'te-shshshsh-pt-shsh'.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 0:24

Rec. Phil Brown · United StatesCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is the only terrestrial bird species in North America that lives exclusively in salt marshes throughout its entire life cycle.
Females often synchronize their nesting cycles with the lunar calendar to ensure chicks fledge between high spring tides.
The species is non-territorial and highly promiscuous, with a single clutch of eggs often sired by multiple different males.
They possess specialized kidneys and salt glands that allow them to survive while consuming brackish water and saline-rich invertebrates.
Due to sea-level rise and habitat loss, their population is declining by approximately 9% annually, putting them at high risk of extinction.

Habitat

High marsh zones frequently flooded by tides, specifically areas dominated by Spartina patens and Juncus gerardii.

Range

The Atlantic coast of North America, breeding from Maine to North Carolina and wintering from New York to Florida.

Similar & commonly confused birds

LeConte's SparrowAmmospiza leconteii Nelson's SparrowAmmospiza nelsoni Seaside SparrowAmmospiza maritima

Heard a Saltmarsh Sparrow?

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