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

Ameline Swiftlet

Aerodramus amelis

The Ameline Swiftlet is a small, aerial insectivore endemic to the Philippines, known for its uniform dark plumage and mastery of cave environments. It is highly gregarious, often seen foraging in large, mixed-species flocks over various landscapes.

What it sounds like

A series of high-pitched twittering notes and sharp metallic clicks used for both communication and echolocation.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Brendan Sloan · PhilippinesCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

Capable of echolocation, allowing it to navigate and nest in the absolute darkness of deep cave systems.
Constructs cup-shaped nests using a combination of vegetable fibers and hardened salivary cement.
Spends nearly the entire day on the wing, capturing small flying insects such as gnats and beetles.
Was historically considered a subspecies of the Uniform Swiftlet (Aerodramus vanikorensis) before being recognized as a distinct species.
Displays a shallowly forked tail and relatively uniform gray-brown upperparts, making it difficult to distinguish from similar swiftlets in flight.

Habitat

Found over a wide range of habitats including lowland rainforests, montane forests, and open agricultural land, but relies on caves for nesting.

Range

Endemic to the Philippines, occurring across most major islands including Luzon, Mindoro, and Mindanao.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Atiu SwiftletAerodramus sawtelli Australian SwiftletAerodramus terraereginae Bare-legged SwiftletAerodramus nuditarsus Black-nest SwiftletAerodramus maximus Caroline Islands SwiftletAerodramus inquietus Himalayan SwiftletAerodramus brevirostris Indian SwiftletAerodramus unicolor Mariana SwiftletAerodramus bartschi

Heard a Ameline Swiftlet?

Open Birdsong, tap record, and identify the bird singing near you in seconds — then collect it in your field journal.

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