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

Boat-billed Tody-Tyrant

Hemitriccus josephinae

A small, elusive tyrant flycatcher of the Guianan Shield, distinguished by its remarkably broad and flattened spatulate bill. It is a specialist of the lower and middle stories of pristine lowland rainforests.

What it sounds like

A rapid, dry, descending rattle or mechanical trill, often lasting about one second.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 1:36

Rec. Paul Lenrumé · French GuianaCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

Its bill is exceptionally wide and flat compared to other members of the Hemitriccus genus, facilitating its unique fly-catching technique.
The species is named 'josephinae' in honor of Josephine McConnell, the wife of the collector Frederick Vavasour McConnell.
It is a Guianan Shield endemic, found only in a specific region of northeastern South America.
Like many tody-tyrants, it often perches with a characteristic 'cocked' tail while scanning for prey.
It primarily feeds on small arthropods captured through quick sally-strikes to the underside of foliage.

Habitat

Primary tropical lowland evergreen forest and occasionally tall secondary growth.

Range

Northeastern South America, specifically Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, and northern Brazil.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Acre Tody-TyrantHemitriccus cohnhafti Black-throated Tody-TyrantHemitriccus granadensis Brown-breasted Pygmy-TyrantHemitriccus obsoletus Buff-breasted Tody-TyrantHemitriccus mirandae Buff-throated Tody-TyrantHemitriccus rufigularis Cinnamon-breasted Tody-TyrantHemitriccus cinnamomeipectus Drab-breasted Pygmy-TyrantHemitriccus diops Eye-ringed Tody-TyrantHemitriccus orbitatus

Heard a Boat-billed Tody-Tyrant?

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