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-tailed Crake

Zapornia bicolor

A small, elusive rail characterized by its striking contrast of slate-grey underparts and rich chestnut-brown upperparts. It is primarily found in montane wetlands and dense marshy vegetation across South and Southeast Asia.

What it sounds like

A rapid, rhythmic series of hollow 'cuk' or 'tok' notes that often accelerates into a rattling trill.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Peter Boesman · IndiaCC BY-NC-ND Xeno-canto

Field notes

Adults possess distinctive bright red irises and reddish-pink legs that contrast with their dark plumage.
It is a high-altitude specialist, frequently inhabiting montane marshes at elevations up to 3,600 meters.
The species was recently reclassified from the genus Porzana to Zapornia following molecular phylogenetic analysis.
Though highly secretive, they are known to be territorial and will vigorously defend their marshland patches.
Their diet is omnivorous, consisting of aquatic insects, small mollusks, and various seeds found within wetland mud.

Habitat

Dense reed beds, marshes, and shrubbery bordering montane streams or ponds.

Range

Eastern Himalayas through Southern China, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Baillon's CrakeZapornia pusilla Band-bellied CrakeZapornia paykullii Black CrakeZapornia flavirostra Brown CrakeZapornia akool Hawaiian RailZapornia sandwichensis Henderson Island CrakeZapornia atra Kosrae CrakeZapornia monasa Kosrae CrakeZapornia monasa

Heard a Black-tailed Crake?

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