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

Wandering Tattler

Tringa incana

A medium-sized, unpatterned shorebird known for its uniform slate-gray plumage and characteristic teetering motion on rocky coastlines.

What it sounds like

A rapid, high-pitched series of 6-10 clear, whistling notes delivered on a steady or slightly descending pitch.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. AUDEVARD Aurélien · FranceCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is named for its habit of 'teetering' or bobbing its tail and hindquarters up and down constantly while foraging.
Unlike most shorebirds, it breeds in remote mountainous regions near fast-flowing alpine streams in Alaska and the Yukon.
It is highly specialized for rocky habitats, often seen foraging on wave-swept jetties, reefs, and rocky intertidal zones.
In flight, it shows a completely uniform gray upperwing and rump, lacking the white patterns typical of other Tringa species.
During migration, individuals may fly non-stop across vast stretches of the Pacific Ocean to reach remote Polynesian islands.

Habitat

Rocky shorelines, stone jetties, and coral reefs; breeds near high-altitude gravelly stream beds.

Range

Breeds in Alaska and NW Canada; winters along the Pacific coast from North America to Chile and throughout Oceania.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Common GreenshankTringa nebularia Common RedshankTringa totanus Gray-tailed TattlerTringa brevipes Greater YellowlegsTringa melanoleuca Green SandpiperTringa ochropus Lesser YellowlegsTringa flavipes Marsh SandpiperTringa stagnatilis Nordmann's GreenshankTringa guttifer

Heard a Wandering Tattler?

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