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

Sharp-shinned Hawk

Accipiter striatus

The smallest North American accipiter, the Sharp-shinned Hawk is a nimble, forest-dwelling predator known for its athletic aerial pursuits of songbirds.

What it sounds like

A high-pitched, frantic series of 'kik-kik-kik' notes, typically heard only near the nest.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. William Zaca · BrazilCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

They exhibit significant sexual size dimorphism, with females being up to one-third larger than males.
Their name derives from the sharply keeled, thin shins (tarsometatarsi) characteristic of the species.
Unlike the similar Cooper's Hawk, 'Sharpies' have a squared-off tail tip and legs the thickness of a pencil.
During migration, thousands can be seen passing 'hawk watches' along ridgelines and coastlines.
They are frequent visitors to suburban bird feeders, not for the seeds, but to hunt the congregating songbirds.

Habitat

Deep coniferous or mixed forests during breeding; open woodlands and suburban gardens during winter.

Range

Widespread across North America, migrating from Canada and Alaska to the southern US and Central America.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Cooper's HawkAccipiter cooperii Eurasian SparrowhawkAccipiter nisus Gray-bellied HawkAccipiter poliogaster Madagascar SparrowhawkAccipiter madagascariensis Ovambo SparrowhawkAccipiter ovampensis Rufous-breasted SparrowhawkAccipiter rufiventris

Heard a Sharp-shinned Hawk?

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