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 Woodpecker

Dryocopus martius

The largest woodpecker in the Palearctic, the Black Woodpecker is a crow-sized, jet-black bird easily identified by its crimson crown and pale iris. It serves as a vital keystone species by excavating massive cavities that provide homes for numerous other forest animals.

What it sounds like

A loud, ringing 'klee-ay' call given in flight and a drawn-out, melancholic 'pwee-pwee-pwee' when perched.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 2:07

Rec. Christian Bøggild · DenmarkCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is the largest woodpecker species in its range, reaching up to 55 centimeters in length with a wingspan nearing 75 centimeters.
They create distinctively oval-shaped nesting holes, which can take up to four weeks of continuous excavation to finish.
As a keystone species, their abandoned cavities are essential for the survival of secondary nesters like the Boreal Owl and Stock Dove.
Their diet relies heavily on carpenter ants and wood-boring beetle larvae, often causing them to chip away massive sections of dead wood to reach prey.
Sexual dimorphism is visible in the plumage; males have a full red crest from forehead to nape, while females have red only on the hindcrown.

Habitat

Mature coniferous, deciduous, and mixed forests with large, old trees for nesting.

Range

Widespread across the Palearctic, spanning from Western Europe through Russia to China and Japan.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Andaman WoodpeckerDryocopus hodgei Black-bodied WoodpeckerDryocopus schulzii Lineated WoodpeckerDryocopus lineatus Pileated WoodpeckerDryocopus pileatus White-bellied WoodpeckerDryocopus javensis

Heard a Black Woodpecker?

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