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-capped Siskin

Spinus atriceps

A small, high-altitude finch characterized by the male's striking black cap and olive-green plumage. It is a social species endemic to the montane pine-oak highlands of southern Mexico and Guatemala.

What it sounds like

A high-pitched, nasal 'tsee-yee' and a complex, twittering song composed of rapid trills and whistled notes.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Jesse Fagan · GuatemalaCC BY-NC-ND Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is a restricted-range endemic species confined to the Highlands of Northern Central America endemic bird area.
Unlike the closely related Pine Siskin, the Black-capped Siskin lacks heavy ventral streaking, presenting a much cleaner olive-yellow underside.
The species is highly social and is frequently observed in small, active flocks that may join mixed-species groups in the canopy.
They are primarily granivorous, specialized in foraging for seeds from conifers and plants in the mint family (Lamiaceae).
Males are distinguished by a solid black crown that extends to the eye, while females are duller with a dusky, less defined cap.

Habitat

Montane pine-oak forests, humid evergreen forest edges, and alpine scrubland usually above 2,000 meters.

Range

Highlands of Chiapas, Mexico, and southwestern Guatemala.

Similar & commonly confused birds

American GoldfinchSpinus tristis Andean SiskinSpinus spinescens Antillean SiskinSpinus dominicensis Black SiskinSpinus atratus Black-chinned SiskinSpinus barbatus Black-headed SiskinSpinus notatus Eurasian SiskinSpinus spinus Hooded SiskinSpinus magellanicus

Heard a Black-capped Siskin?

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