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

Semipalmated Plover

Charadrius semipalmatus

The Semipalmated Plover is a small, energetic shorebird easily identified by its single dark breast band and short, bicolored bill. It is a common sight on mudflats and beaches during its extensive migratory journeys between the Arctic and the tropics.

What it sounds like

A distinctive, rising two-note whistle described as 'chu-wee' or 'chee-wit'.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Paul Driver · United StatesCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

The name 'semipalmated' refers to the partial webbing between its front toes, which aids in walking across soft mud.
It employs a characteristic 'run-and-pause' foraging behavior, stopping abruptly to scan for the movement of small invertebrates.
It is the North American ecological counterpart to the Common Ringed Plover of Eurasia, though it is slightly smaller.
Nesting occurs in simple scrapes on the ground, where the eggs are camouflaged to look exactly like the surrounding gravel and sand.
During the non-breeding season, they are highly gregarious and often form large mixed flocks with other 'peep' sandpipers.

Habitat

Arctic tundra during breeding; coastal beaches, mudflats, and salt marshes during migration and winter.

Range

Breeds in Alaska and Northern Canada; winters along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts from the southern U.S. to central South America.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Common Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticula KilldeerCharadrius vociferus Piping PloverCharadrius melodus

Heard a Semipalmated Plover?

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