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-chested Sparrow

Peucaea humeralis

A large, distinctive sparrow endemic to Mexico, recognized by its bold black breast band and rufous wings.

What it sounds like

A high-pitched, thin series of introductory notes followed by a complex, jumbled song of metallic trills and chips.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Alán Palacios · MexicoCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

The species is easily distinguished from other sparrows by its stark white throat contrasted against a thick, solid black chest band.
It is a member of the genus Peucaea, a group of New World sparrows known for their intricate and melodic songs.
They are primarily ground-foragers, consuming a diet of seeds supplemented by protein-rich insects during the breeding season.
This sparrow is strictly non-migratory, maintaining its territory within specialized arid environments year-round.
Nests are typically deep cups of grass well-concealed low within thorny vegetation or dense scrub thickets.

Habitat

Arid thorn scrub, tropical deciduous forest edges, and subtropical scrubland.

Range

South-central and western Mexico, primarily the Balsas River basin and the Pacific slope.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Bachman's SparrowPeucaea aestivalis Botteri's SparrowPeucaea botterii Bridled SparrowPeucaea mystacalis Cassin's SparrowPeucaea cassinii Cinnamon-tailed SparrowPeucaea sumichrasti Rufous-winged SparrowPeucaea carpalis Stripe-headed SparrowPeucaea ruficauda

Heard a Black-chested Sparrow?

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