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

Bohemian Waxwing

Bombycilla garrulus

A sleek, social songbird of the far north, the Bohemian Waxwing is distinguished by its prominent crest, peach-toned face, and vibrant red waxy wing tips. It is a nomadic specialist that travels in large, synchronized flocks in search of winter fruit.

What it sounds like

A high-pitched, shivering, metallic trill, often described as a rapid 'sirrrr' that is lower and more buzzy than the Cedar Waxwing.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Jarek Matusiak · PolandCC BY-NC-ND Xeno-canto

Field notes

The red appendages on their wings are actually modified feather shafts that resemble droplets of sealing wax.
They possess an enlarged liver that allows them to efficiently metabolize ethanol from fermented berries.
Unlike most songbirds, they do not defend breeding territories and are known to nest in loose colonies.
They are highly nomadic 'irruptive' migrants, moving south in massive numbers only when food supplies in the north fail.
A single Bohemian Waxwing can consume several hundred berries in a day, sometimes doubling its own body weight.

Habitat

Coniferous and lichen-rich boreal forests for breeding; urban parks, gardens, and orchards during winter.

Range

Holarctic distribution across northern parts of North America, Europe, and Asia.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Cedar WaxwingBombycilla cedrorum Japanese WaxwingBombycilla japonica

Heard a Bohemian Waxwing?

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