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

Snowy Plover

Anarhynchus nivosus

A small, pale shorebird characterized by its sandy upperparts and incomplete dark neck band, specialized for life on open beaches and salt flats.

What it sounds like

A soft, rising 'ku-wheet' or 'tu-wheet' along with low, whistling alarm notes.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

No reference call found yet · Xeno-canto

Field notes

They are masters of crypsis, with plumage that mimics dry sand and salt crusts to avoid detection by aerial predators.
Females often practice polyandry, deserting their first brood to be raised by the male while they seek a second mate for another clutch.
The species was recently taxonomically split from the Old World Kentish Plover based on genetic, morphological, and vocal differences.
Chicks are highly precocial, leaving the nest scrape to forage for small invertebrates within just a few hours of hatching.
The Pacific Coast population is federally listed as threatened due to habitat loss from invasive beach grasses and human disturbance.

Habitat

Sandy coastal beaches, dunes, and inland saline lake margins or alkaline flats.

Range

Western North America, the Gulf Coast, the Caribbean, and parts of the South American coast.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Caspian PloverAnarhynchus asiaticus Chestnut-banded PloverAnarhynchus pallidus Collared PloverAnarhynchus collaris Double-banded PloverAnarhynchus bicinctus Greater Sand-PloverAnarhynchus leschenaultii Javan PloverAnarhynchus javanicus Javan PloverAnarhynchus javanicus Kentish PloverAnarhynchus alexandrinus

Heard a Snowy Plover?

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