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

Akiapolaau

Hemignathus wilsoni

The Akiapolaau is a remarkable Hawaiian honeycreeper famous for its specialized, asymmetrical bill used to occupy the ecological niche typically filled by woodpeckers. It is an endangered specialist found only in high-elevation native forests on the Big Island.

What it sounds like

A loud, complex warble of clear whistles and trills; the common call is a sharp, rising 'piti-wheet'.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / --:--

Rec. Brooks Rownd · United StatesCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

Possesses a unique 'heterobill' featuring a long, decurved upper mandible for probing and a short, straight lower mandible for hammering wood.
It is the only avian species in Hawaii that forages by tapping and drilling into bark to extract wood-boring beetle larvae.
Juveniles undergo an exceptionally long dependency period, often staying with parents for several months to master complex foraging techniques.
The species is highly dependent on old-growth Koa (Acacia koa) trees for its primary foraging substrate.
To avoid avian malaria carried by mosquitoes, its remaining populations are restricted to cool, high-elevation refugia above 1,500 meters.

Habitat

High-elevation montane mesic and wet forests, specifically Koa and Ohi'a woodlands.

Range

Endemic to the island of Hawai'i (Big Island).

Similar & commonly confused birds

Kauai NukupuuHemignathus hanapepe Maui NukupuuHemignathus affinis Oahu NukupuuHemignathus lucidus

Heard a Akiapolaau?

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