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

Sanderling

Calidris alba

A small, energetic sandpiper famous for its characteristic behavior of scurrying back and forth in synchronization with the retreating and advancing waves. It is one of the world's most widespread shorebirds, often appearing as a pale, whitish blur on sandy beaches.

What it sounds like

A short, sharp, liquid 'wick' or 'pit', frequently uttered while foraging or in flight.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Lionel FREDERIC · FranceCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is the only member of the genus Calidris that lacks a hind toe (hallux), an evolutionary adaptation for rapid running on sandy substrates.
Sanderlings are high-latitude specialists, breeding exclusively in the High Arctic tundra before migrating to coastlines on six continents.
Some individuals perform incredible long-distance migrations, traveling over 10,000 miles from the Arctic to the southern tips of South America or Africa.
Their winter plumage is the palest of any small sandpiper, providing camouflage against the light-colored sand and foam of the swash zone.
During the breeding season, they transition from pale gray to a warm rufous-and-black mottled pattern to blend in with tundra mosses and lichens.

Habitat

Sandy ocean beaches and mudflats during migration; dry, stony Arctic tundra for nesting.

Range

Cosmopolitan; breeds in the High Arctic and winters along coastlines worldwide.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Baird's SandpiperCalidris bairdii Broad-billed SandpiperCalidris falcinellus Buff-breasted SandpiperCalidris subruficollis Curlew SandpiperCalidris ferruginea DunlinCalidris alpina Great KnotCalidris tenuirostris Least SandpiperCalidris minutilla Little StintCalidris minuta

Heard a Sanderling?

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