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

Ashy-tailed Swift

Chaetura andrei

A small, aerial insectivore of South American lowlands, characterized by its soot-colored plumage and rapid, flickering flight.

What it sounds like

Rapid, high-pitched chattering and twittering notes.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

No reference call found yet · Xeno-canto

Field notes

Possesses specialized tail feathers with stiff, protruding shafts used as a prop when clinging to vertical surfaces.
Constructs a half-cup nest using twigs cemented together with its own adhesive saliva.
Often feeds in mixed-species flocks alongside other swifts and swallows over forest canopies or water.
Taxonomically complex, it was historically grouped with Vaux's Swift and is visually nearly identical to Sick's Swift.
Spends almost its entire daylight period in the air, landing only to roost or attend to its nest.

Habitat

Tropical and subtropical lowland forests, secondary growth, and open areas near water.

Range

Northern and central South America, including Venezuela, Colombia, Suriname, and Brazil.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Band-rumped SwiftChaetura spinicaudus Chapman's SwiftChaetura chapmani Chimney SwiftChaetura pelagica Costa Rican SwiftChaetura fumosa Gray-rumped SwiftChaetura cinereiventris Lesser Antillean SwiftChaetura martinica Pale-rumped SwiftChaetura egregia Short-tailed SwiftChaetura brachyura

Heard a Ashy-tailed Swift?

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