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

Bicknell's Thrush

Catharus bicknelli

A rare and elusive migratory songbird, the Bicknell's Thrush is a high-altitude specialist endemic to the stunted balsam fir forests of the northeastern Americas.

What it sounds like

A thin, spiraling, flute-like song that characteristically rises in pitch at the end, often described as 'chree-e-e-e-up'.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 0:20

Rec. Melissa Hafting · CanadaCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It was only recognized as a distinct species from the Gray-cheeked Thrush in 1995 due to differences in song and DNA.
The species employs a rare polygynandrous mating system where a female may mate with multiple males who then assist in feeding her brood.
It has one of the most restricted breeding ranges of any North American bird, confined to isolated mountain peaks and coastal spruce-fir thickets.
Over 90% of the entire global population is estimated to winter on the island of Hispaniola, making it highly vulnerable to habitat loss there.
Bicknell's Thrush prefers 'krummholz' habitat—the dense, stunted, wind-swept vegetation found just below the alpine tree line.

Habitat

High-elevation montane fir-spruce forests and maritime krummholz; winters in wet broadleaf tropical forests.

Range

Breeds in New York, New England, and Southeastern Canada; winters primarily in the Dominican Republic and Haiti.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Black-billed Nightingale-ThrushCatharus gracilirostris Black-headed Nightingale-ThrushCatharus mexicanus Gray-cheeked ThrushCatharus minimus Hermit ThrushCatharus guttatus Orange-billed Nightingale-ThrushCatharus aurantiirostris Ruddy-capped Nightingale-ThrushCatharus frantzii Russet Nightingale-ThrushCatharus occidentalis Slaty-backed Nightingale-ThrushCatharus fuscater

Heard a Bicknell's Thrush?

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