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

Blue-fronted Redstart

Phoenicurus frontalis

A striking high-altitude chat where males feature a brilliant cobalt-blue head and breast contrasting with deep orange underparts and tail.

What it sounds like

A sharp, high-pitched 'tsip' or 'teee-tick' contact call and a rapid, thin, warbling song.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Bo Shunqi 薄顺奇 · ChinaCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It holds the record for breeding at some of the highest altitudes of any redstart, reaching up to 5,200 meters in the Himalayas.
The species displays a characteristic tail-quivering motion, a common behavioral trait among members of the genus Phoenicurus.
Sexual dimorphism is pronounced; while males are vibrantly colored, females are primarily olive-brown with a subtle rufous wash on the tail.
It is an altitudinal migrant, shifting from alpine meadows in summer to lower-elevation scrub and cultivated areas in winter.
During the breeding season, it is highly territorial and often perches prominently on boulders or low shrubs to sing.

Habitat

Alpine meadows, rhododendron scrub, and subalpine forests; winters in open woodland and temperate valleys.

Range

Himalayas to central and southwest China, extending into northern Myanmar and Indochina.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Ala Shan RedstartPhoenicurus alaschanicus Black RedstartPhoenicurus ochruros Blue-capped RedstartPhoenicurus coeruleocephala Common RedstartPhoenicurus phoenicurus Daurian RedstartPhoenicurus auroreus Hodgson's RedstartPhoenicurus hodgsoni Luzon RedstartPhoenicurus bicolor Moussier's RedstartPhoenicurus moussieri

Heard a Blue-fronted Redstart?

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