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

Bronzed Cowbird

Molothrus aeneus

A robust, thick-billed blackbird of the subtropics, distinguished by its striking red eyes and obligate brood-parasitic lifestyle.

What it sounds like

A series of dry, mechanical creaks and wheezes, often sounding like a rusty hinge or a high-pitched 'glug-glug-zeee'.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 1:18

Rec. Manuel Grosselet · MexicoCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is an obligate brood parasite, laying its eggs in the nests of over 100 host species, particularly orioles and towhees.
Males perform a unique courtship display where they hover in place while puffing out a large, cape-like neck ruff.
The species was formerly referred to as the 'Red-eyed Cowbird' due to its most diagnostic physical feature.
Unlike many other blackbirds, the Bronzed Cowbird has a noticeably heavy, arched bill and a thick-necked silhouette.
They are highly social outside of the breeding season, often forming large mixed-species flocks at feedlots and grain elevators.

Habitat

Open areas, agricultural fields, brushy pastures, and suburban lawns.

Range

Southwestern United States through Mexico and Central America to Panama.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Brown-headed CowbirdMolothrus ater Giant CowbirdMolothrus oryzivorus Screaming CowbirdMolothrus rufoaxillaris Shiny CowbirdMolothrus bonariensis

Heard a Bronzed Cowbird?

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