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-billed Magpie

Pica hudsonia

A large, social corvid of western North America easily identified by its extremely long tail and iridescent black-and-white plumage.

What it sounds like

A harsh, rapid, nasal 'mag-mag-mag' or 'yak-yak-yak' and a rising, whistled 'whee-eer'.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Paul Driver · United StatesCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

They construct massive, domed nests of sticks that can take up to 40 days to complete and often include a 'back door' for quick exits.
Magpies are known to engage in symbiotic 'cleaning' behavior, landing on large mammals like moose or deer to remove and eat ticks.
They exhibit high cognitive intelligence, including the ability to recognize individual human faces and mimic various sounds.
Their striking white primary feathers are largely concealed when perched, creating a flashing effect only during flight.
Historically, they were frequent followers of bison herds and were documented scavenging at the campsites of the Lewis and Clark expedition.

Habitat

Open woodlands, riparian thickets, sagebrush plains, and agricultural areas near water.

Range

Western North America, from coastal Alaska and western Canada south to the Great Basin and Great Plains.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Asir MagpiePica asirensis Black-rumped MagpiePica bottanensis Eurasian MagpiePica pica Maghreb MagpiePica mauritanica Oriental MagpiePica serica Yellow-billed MagpiePica nuttalli

Heard a Black-billed Magpie?

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