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

Willet

Tringa semipalmata

A large, robust shorebird that appears unremarkable in plumage until it takes flight, revealing a bold and diagnostic black-and-white wing pattern.

What it sounds like

A loud, ringing, multi-syllabic 'pill-will-willet' or a sharp, repeated 'kyer-er-er'.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 0:34

Rec. Ed Pandolfino · United StatesCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

Its common name is onomatopoeic, derived from its loud and piercing 'pill-will-willet' vocalization.
The species is divided into two distinct subspecies: the larger, paler 'Western' Willet and the slightly smaller 'Eastern' Willet.
The specific epithet 'semipalmata' refers to its partially webbed feet, an adaptation for walking on soft mud and occasional swimming.
Unlike many other sandpipers, Willets are territorial and frequently perch on high vantage points such as fence posts or trees.
While they forage visually by day, Willets possess high tactile sensitivity in their bills for nocturnal feeding.

Habitat

Coastal beaches, salt marshes, and mudflats; Western populations also inhabit interior prairie wetlands and grasslands.

Range

Breeds across North America; winters along the Atlantic, Pacific, and Gulf coasts from the southern U.S. to South America.

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 Willet?

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Identify a bird by its song