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

Bay-breasted Warbler

Setophaga castanea

A robust boreal wood-warbler characterized by its deep chestnut crown, throat, and flanks during the breeding season.

What it sounds like

A very high-pitched, thin, and sibilant 'seet-seet-seet-seet' on a single pitch.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Bobby Wilcox · United StatesCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

Their population cycles are famously linked to spruce budworm outbreaks, with local densities skyrocketing during infestations.
In autumn, they undergo a dramatic molt into 'confusing fall warbler' plumage, making them nearly indistinguishable from Blackpoll Warblers.
Unlike many smaller warblers, they tend to forage more deliberately and slowly, often searching for large larvae in the interior of spruce needles.
They are long-distance migrants, with some individuals flying across the Gulf of Mexico in a single non-stop flight to reach wintering grounds.
During the breeding season, males often sing from the mid-canopy, whereas Blackpoll Warblers typically occupy the very tops of the trees.

Habitat

Mature coniferous forests, specifically those dominated by spruce and balsam fir.

Range

Breeds across the boreal forest of Canada and the northern United States; winters in southern Central America and northwestern South America.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Adelaide's WarblerSetophaga adelaidae American RedstartSetophaga ruticilla Arrowhead WarblerSetophaga pharetra Bahama WarblerSetophaga flavescens Barbuda WarblerSetophaga subita Black-throated Blue WarblerSetophaga caerulescens Black-throated Gray WarblerSetophaga nigrescens Black-throated Green WarblerSetophaga virens

Heard a Bay-breasted Warbler?

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