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 Swift

Cypseloides niger

The Black Swift is the largest swift in North America, characterized by its soot-black plumage and unique preference for nesting in the spray zones of waterfalls.

What it sounds like

A quiet, high-pitched series of soft clicking or 'chip' notes, often heard only at close range.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / --:--

Rec. Richard E. Webster · MexicoCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It nests almost exclusively on wet, vertical rock faces behind or adjacent to waterfalls.
Unlike most other swifts, it does not use saliva to glue its nest, instead utilizing mud and moss.
They are late-season breeders, typically laying only a single egg to coincide with peak late-summer insect abundance.
GPS tracking has revealed they migrate vast distances to winter in the Amazon rainforest of western Brazil.
They are exceptionally aerial and are known to forage at such high altitudes that they become invisible to the naked eye.

Habitat

Montane canyons, sea cliffs, and waterfalls where cool, damp microclimates exist.

Range

Western North America from British Columbia to Mexico, and parts of the Caribbean.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Great Dusky SwiftCypseloides senex Rothschild's SwiftCypseloides rothschildi Rothschild's SwiftCypseloides rothschildi Spot-fronted SwiftCypseloides cherriei White-chested SwiftCypseloides lemosi White-chinned SwiftCypseloides cryptus White-fronted SwiftCypseloides storeri White-fronted SwiftCypseloides storeri

Heard a Black Swift?

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