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

Allen's Hummingbird

Selasphorus sasin

A small, feisty hummingbird of the Pacific Coast, characterized by its brilliant coppery-orange plumage and aggressive territoriality.

What it sounds like

A series of sharp, metallic 'tik' notes and a high-pitched, buzzy 'zrrr' produced by the wings.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 0:28

Rec. Paul Marvin · United StatesCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

Adult males are distinguished from the nearly identical Rufous Hummingbird by their solid green backs.
The species includes a non-migratory subspecies, S. s. sedentarius, which remains in coastal Southern California year-round.
During courtship, males perform a spectacular 'J-shaped' dive from 100 feet in the air followed by a high-speed shuttle display.
The outer tail feathers are narrow and specialized to produce a sharp, metallic trill during rapid display flights.
Nests are architectural marvels of plant down and spider silk, often decorated with lichen to blend into tree branches.

Habitat

Coastal scrub, chaparral, brushy canyons, and suburban gardens.

Range

Narrow coastal strip of California and southern Oregon; migratory populations winter in central Mexico.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Broad-tailed HummingbirdSelasphorus platycercus Bumblebee HummingbirdSelasphorus heloisa Calliope HummingbirdSelasphorus calliope Glow-throated HummingbirdSelasphorus ardens Rufous HummingbirdSelasphorus rufus Scintillant HummingbirdSelasphorus scintilla Volcano HummingbirdSelasphorus flammula Wine-throated HummingbirdSelasphorus ellioti

Heard a Allen's Hummingbird?

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