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

Small Pratincole

Glareola lactea

The Small Pratincole is a diminutive, pale gray wader known for its graceful, tern-like aerial foraging over large river systems.

What it sounds like

A rapid, high-pitched metallic 'tiri-tiri-tiri' or a sharp, staccato 'chik-chik'.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 0:08

Rec. Lim Ying Hien 林勇贤 · MalaysiaCC BY-NC-ND Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is the smallest pratincole species, typically measuring between 16.5 and 18.5 centimeters in length.
Unlike most shorebirds, it primarily hunts insects in mid-air, utilizing a flight style similar to swallows or swifts.
It nests colonially in shallow scrapes on open sandbanks and shingle bars, often situated within large river channels.
In flight, it displays a distinctive black-and-white wing pattern and a characteristic black patch on the underwing coverts.
The species is notably crepuscular, showing peak activity levels during the dim light of dawn and dusk.

Habitat

Sandy or gravelly banks of large rivers, sandbars, and occasionally coastal mudflats or marshes.

Range

South and Southeast Asia, spanning from Pakistan and India to Myanmar, Thailand, and Laos.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Australian PratincoleGlareola isabella Black-winged PratincoleGlareola nordmanni Collared PratincoleGlareola pratincola Gray PratincoleGlareola cinerea Madagascar PratincoleGlareola ocularis Oriental PratincoleGlareola maldivarum Rock PratincoleGlareola nuchalis

Heard a Small Pratincole?

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