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

Barn Swallow

Hirundo rustica

The Barn Swallow is a slender, agile aerial insectivore distinguished by its deeply forked tail and steel-blue upperparts. It is the most widely distributed swallow species in the world, frequently nesting in close proximity to human settlements.

What it sounds like

A rapid, cheerful series of squeaky warbles and twittering notes, often ending in a distinctive dry, mechanical rattle.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 7:16

Rec. Olivier SWIFT · FranceCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is the only North American swallow species possessing a deeply forked tail with elongated outer feathers called streamers.
Their cup-shaped nests are meticulously constructed from over 1,000 individual mud pellets reinforced with grass.
Barn Swallows are almost entirely aerial, feeding, drinking, and sometimes even bathing while in flight over water.
Research indicates females prefer mates with longer, more symmetrical tail streamers, which serve as an honest signal of genetic quality.
Originally cave-dwellers, the species has undergone a near-total shift to nesting on man-made structures like barns, bridges, and culverts.

Habitat

Open landscapes such as farmlands, meadows, and marshes, usually near bodies of water and human-made structures.

Range

Cosmopolitan; breeds across North America, Europe, and Asia, migrating to the Southern Hemisphere for the winter.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Angola SwallowHirundo angolensis Black-and-rufous SwallowHirundo nigrorufa Ethiopian SwallowHirundo aethiopica Hill SwallowHirundo domicola Montane Blue SwallowHirundo atrocaerulea Pacific SwallowHirundo javanica Pearl-breasted SwallowHirundo dimidiata Pied-winged SwallowHirundo leucosoma

Heard a Barn Swallow?

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