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 Oriole

Icterus abeillei

The Black-backed Oriole is a striking icterid endemic to the central Mexican highlands, recognized for its vibrant orange plumage and solid black mantle.

What it sounds like

A series of rich, fluty whistles and melodic warbles, often more deliberate than the Bullock’s Oriole.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Manuel Grosselet · MexicoCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is closely related to the Bullock’s Oriole and was historically treated as the same species.
It is one of the few bird species capable of predating monarch butterflies at their overwintering sites by stripping the wings.
The species is almost entirely restricted to the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt and the southern Mexican Plateau.
Adult males are distinguished from similar orioles by their completely black crown, nape, and back.
They construct hanging, pendulous nests woven from plant fibers, typically suspended from the ends of branches.

Habitat

High-altitude pine-oak forests, subtropical montane forests, and riparian woodlands.

Range

Endemic to the highlands of Central Mexico.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Altamira OrioleIcterus gularis Audubon's OrioleIcterus graduacauda Bahama OrioleIcterus northropi Baltimore OrioleIcterus galbula Bar-winged OrioleIcterus maculialatus Black-cowled OrioleIcterus prosthemelas Black-vented OrioleIcterus wagleri Bullock's OrioleIcterus bullockii

Heard a Black-backed Oriole?

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