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

Barred Owl

Strix varia

A large, stocky owl of North American forests known for its soulful dark eyes and distinctive 'barring' plumage pattern. It is highly vocal and often active during both night and twilight hours.

What it sounds like

A rhythmic series of eight hoots frequently transcribed as 'Who cooks for you? Who cooks for you all?'

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 0:22

Rec. Rory Nefdt · United StatesCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

Unlike most North American owls which have yellow eyes, the Barred Owl has deep brown, almost black irises.
The species is highly sedentary; a study of 158 birds found that none had moved more than 6 miles from their original banding site.
They are significant competitors to the endangered Northern Spotted Owl, often outcompeting them for territory and resources in the Pacific Northwest.
The distinctive plumage features horizontal bars on the neck and upper breast with vertical brown streaks on the belly.
Barred Owls are opportunistic predators known to occasionally wade into shallow water to hunt for fish and crayfish.

Habitat

Mature deciduous and mixed forests, frequently near water sources, wooded swamps, or riparian corridors.

Range

Native to Eastern North America and Southern Canada, with a significant range expansion into the Pacific Northwest and California.

Similar & commonly confused birds

African Wood-OwlStrix woodfordii Black-and-white OwlStrix nigrolineata Black-banded OwlStrix huhula Brown Wood-OwlStrix leptogrammica Chaco OwlStrix chacoensis Cinereous OwlStrix sartorii Desert OwlStrix hadorami Fulvous OwlStrix fulvescens

Heard a Barred 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