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

Black-backed Antshrike

Thamnophilus melanonotus

A medium-sized antbird endemic to the dry forests of northern South America, notable for its striking sexual dimorphism.

What it sounds like

An accelerating series of nasal, hollow 'onk' notes that ends in a short, descending rasp.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 0:41

Rec. Peter Boesman · VenezuelaCC BY-NC-ND Xeno-canto

Field notes

Males are distinguished by a solid black crown and back, which contrasts sharply with white-spotted wing coverts.
Females possess a completely different appearance, featuring cinnamon-brown upperparts and pale buffy underparts.
Unlike many Thamnophilidae species, it prefers dry deciduous woodlands over humid tropical rainforests.
It was formerly classified as a subspecies of the Guianan Antshrike (Thamnophilus punctatus).
They are typically found foraging in pairs, hopping through low to mid-level vegetation to glean insects from leaves.

Habitat

Lowland deciduous forest, arid scrub, and forest edges.

Range

Northern Colombia and northwestern Venezuela.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Acre AntshrikeThamnophilus divisorius Amazonian AntshrikeThamnophilus amazonicus Band-tailed AntshrikeThamnophilus melanothorax Bar-crested AntshrikeThamnophilus multistriatus Barred AntshrikeThamnophilus doliatus Black AntshrikeThamnophilus nigriceps Black-crowned AntshrikeThamnophilus atrinucha Black-hooded AntshrikeThamnophilus bridgesi

Heard a Black-backed Antshrike?

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