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

Arizona Woodpecker

Leuconotopicus arizonae

The Arizona Woodpecker is a medium-sized bird notable for being the only woodpecker in North America with a primarily brown and white plumage. It is a specialist of the Madrean Sky Islands, where it inhabits mid-elevation oak-pine woodlands.

What it sounds like

A sharp, metallic 'peek' and a rapid, descending whinny call.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Barry Edmonston · MexicoCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is the only brown-backed woodpecker species found in the United States.
Formerly considered the same species as the Strickland's Woodpecker of central Mexico.
Males are distinguished by a small red patch on the nape, which females lack entirely.
Unlike many other woodpeckers, they often forage by prying and flaking bark rather than excavating deep holes.
They are quiet and inconspicuous birds that rarely drum compared to their relatives.

Habitat

Mid-elevation oak and pine-oak woodlands, often near sycamore-lined canyons.

Range

Southeastern Arizona, southwestern New Mexico, and southward into the Sierra Madre Occidental of Mexico.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Hairy WoodpeckerLeuconotopicus villosus Red-cockaded WoodpeckerLeuconotopicus borealis Smoky-brown WoodpeckerLeuconotopicus fumigatus Strickland's WoodpeckerLeuconotopicus stricklandi White-headed WoodpeckerLeuconotopicus albolarvatus

Heard a Arizona Woodpecker?

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