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

Wood Sandpiper

Tringa glareola

A small, elegant Tringa wader characterized by its heavily spotted upperparts and prominent white supercilium. It is a highly migratory species that prefers freshwater environments over coastal mudflats.

What it sounds like

A sharp, high-pitched, and rhythmic 'chiff-chiff-chiff' or 'giff-giff-giff'.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 0:26

Rec. Lars Edenius · SwedenCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

Unlike most ground-nesting waders, it occasionally nests in trees by repurposing the abandoned stick nests of thrushes.
It is a long-distance migrant, with some individuals traveling from subarctic Eurasia to wintering grounds in Southern Africa and Australia.
The species is distinguished from the similar Green Sandpiper by its yellowish-green legs and a pale underwing.
During the breeding season, males perform high-altitude display flights accompanied by a rhythmic, fluting song.
Its plumage is uniquely 'spangled' with fine white spots on a dark brown base, providing excellent camouflage in marshy vegetation.

Habitat

Shallow freshwater wetlands, marshes, flooded grasslands, and swampy forest edges.

Range

Breeds across Northern Eurasia; winters in Africa, South and Southeast Asia, and Australia.

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 Wood Sandpiper?

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