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

Besra

Tachyspiza virgata

A small, agile forest-dwelling raptor of the accipiter family, known for its secretive behavior and rapid ambush strikes within dense foliage.

What it sounds like

A sharp, high-pitched, and rapid series of piercing 'twee-twee-twee-twee' whistles.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

No reference call found yet · Xeno-canto

Field notes

Possesses a distinct dark vertical mesial stripe on the throat, which serves as a key identifier from similar species.
Exhibits pronounced sexual dimorphism, with females being significantly larger and heavier than their male counterparts.
Hunts primarily using wait-and-watch tactics from a concealed perch, targeting small birds, lizards, and large insects.
Comprises approximately ten recognized subspecies that vary in plumage saturation across its extensive Asian range.
Unlike many larger raptors, it rarely soars in open thermals, preferring to remain within or just above the forest canopy.

Habitat

Moist evergreen and deciduous forests, wooded foothills, and occasionally mature secondary growth or plantations.

Range

Widespread across South and Southeast Asia, from the Himalayas and India through Southern China to Indonesia and the Philippines.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Black-mantled GoshawkTachyspiza melanochlamys Brown GoshawkTachyspiza fasciata Chinese SparrowhawkTachyspiza soloensis Collared SparrowhawkTachyspiza cirrocephala Fiji GoshawkTachyspiza rufitorques Frances's SparrowhawkTachyspiza francesiae Gray GoshawkTachyspiza novaehollandiae Gray-headed GoshawkTachyspiza poliocephala

Heard a Besra?

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