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 Nightingale-Thrush

Catharus gracilirostris

A small, high-altitude thrush endemic to the mountains of Costa Rica and Panama, recognized by its uniform olive-brown plumage and entirely black bill.

What it sounds like

A high-pitched, ethereal series of thin, fluty whistles and trills that lack the rich, flute-like depth of larger thrushes.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 0:38

Rec. Johan Chaves · Costa RicaCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is the only member of its genus in its range to possess an entirely black bill, lacking the orange or yellow lower mandible seen in similar species.
The species is a highland specialist, typically found at elevations between 2,000 meters and the timberline at 3,500 meters.
Despite being a member of the Nightingale-Thrush group, it is often surprisingly tame and inquisitive around humans compared to its more skittish relatives.
It primarily forages on the ground, frequently seen hopping through leaf litter in search of insects, spiders, and small berries.
It is often found in close association with the Large-footed Finch and the Timberline Wren in dense bamboo undergrowth.

Habitat

Humid montane oak forests, bamboo thickets, and shrubby paramo edges.

Range

Cordillera Central and Cordillera de Talamanca of Costa Rica and western Panama.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Bicknell's ThrushCatharus bicknelli 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 Black-billed Nightingale-Thrush?

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