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

American Barn Owl

Tyto furcata

A distinctive nocturnal raptor characterized by its ghostly white plumage and heart-shaped facial disk. It is a highly specialized predator of small mammals, utilizing exceptional auditory adaptations for hunting.

What it sounds like

A harsh, drawn-out, hissing screech; often described as a 'shree' or 'shre-e-e' sound.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 0:05

Rec. JAYRSON ARAUJO DE OLIVEIRA · BrazilCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

Their ears are placed asymmetrically on the skull, allowing them to pinpoint the location of prey in complete darkness through sound triangulation.
Barn owls do not produce the typical 'hoot' of other owls; they instead emit a piercing, raspy screech that can last up to two seconds.
The serrated edges of their primary flight feathers break up air turbulence, rendering their flight virtually silent to the sensitive ears of rodents.
A single family of barn owls can consume approximately 3,000 rodents in a single breeding season, making them vital for natural pest control.
While they appear predominantly white from below, their dorsal feathers are a rich tawny-gold mottled with delicate gray and black patterns.

Habitat

Open habitats such as grasslands, agricultural fields, marshes, and meadows, often nesting in cavities or man-made structures.

Range

Widespread across North and South America, from southern Canada to the tip of South America.

Similar & commonly confused birds

African Grass-OwlTyto capensis Andaman Masked-OwlTyto deroepstorffi Ashy-faced OwlTyto glaucops Australasian Grass-OwlTyto longimembris Australian Masked-OwlTyto novaehollandiae Barn OwlTyto alba Eastern Barn OwlTyto javanica Golden Masked-OwlTyto aurantia

Heard a American Barn Owl?

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