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

White-crowned Sparrow

Zonotrichia leucophrys

A large, elegant sparrow easily identified by its bold black-and-white striped crown, pearly-gray breast, and yellowish or pinkish bill.

What it sounds like

A clear, plaintive whistle followed by several buzzy notes or a trill, often described as 'more-more-more-cheeze-peasy'.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Greg Irving · United StatesCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

Young birds display brown and tan head stripes for their first several months rather than the adult black-and-white pattern.
The species is famous for its regional dialects; a male's song is often characteristic of the specific area where he learned it.
During migration, White-crowned Sparrows possess a unique physiological ability to stay awake for up to two weeks.
They forage on the ground using a 'double-scratch' maneuver, hopping forward and then quickly jumping back to uncover seeds.
Different subspecies show significant variation in bill color and plumage, ranging from the 'Gambel's' to the 'Nuttall's' sparrow.

Habitat

Brushy areas, forest edges, thickets, gardens, and alpine or arctic tundra.

Range

Breeds across Alaska and Northern Canada; winters throughout the United States and Mexico.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Golden-crowned SparrowZonotrichia atricapilla Harris's SparrowZonotrichia querula Rufous-collared SparrowZonotrichia capensis White-throated SparrowZonotrichia albicollis

Heard a White-crowned Sparrow?

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Identify a bird by its song