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-tailed Sandpiper

Calidris acuminata

A medium-sized Palearctic shorebird distinguished by its bright rufous crown, prominent supercilium, and distinctive chevron-shaped breast markings.

What it sounds like

A soft, metallic, multi-syllabic 'prip-prip' or 'whit-whit', higher-pitched and less raspy than the Pectoral Sandpiper.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Andrew Spencer · Russian FederationCC BY-NC-ND Xeno-canto

Field notes

Juveniles are significantly more colorful than adults, displaying a brilliant chestnut cap and a rich buff wash across the breast.
Unlike most congeners, males possess an inflatable throat sac used to produce hooting sounds during elaborate aerial courtship displays.
The species is a long-distance migrant, traveling from Siberian breeding grounds to wintering sites primarily in Australasia.
It is frequently confused with the Pectoral Sandpiper but can be distinguished by its more tapered rear end and lack of a sharp breast-line demarcation.
V-shaped 'chevron' markings on the underparts are a key diagnostic feature, especially prominent on the flanks of breeding adults.

Habitat

Arctic tundra for breeding; coastal mudflats, saltmarshes, and inland freshwater wetlands during the non-breeding season.

Range

Breeds in Northeast Siberia; winters mainly in Australia, New Guinea, and New Zealand; regularly occurs as a vagrant in North America.

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 Sharp-tailed Sandpiper?

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Identify a bird by its song