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

Brown-backed Solitaire

Myadestes occidentalis

The Brown-backed Solitaire is a reclusive montane thrush of the Mexican and Central American highlands, celebrated for its complex, ethereal vocalizations.

What it sounds like

A haunting, flute-like series of metallic, crystalline notes that rise and fall with a shimmering, glass-like quality.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 2:21

Rec. Barry Edmonston · MexicoCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is a member of the family Turdidae, specifically the genus Myadestes, which is known for slender bodies and exceptional singing abilities.
The species displays a striking contrast between its slate-gray underparts and its rich, rufous-brown mantle and wings.
A prominent white eye-ring and white outer rectrices serve as primary diagnostic field marks during observation.
Primarily a frugivore, it is a key seed disperser for various high-altitude shrubs and trees within its ecosystem.
Despite its haunting song, the bird is notoriously difficult to spot as it often perches motionless in the dense mid-canopy of cloud forests.

Habitat

Humid montane forests, pine-oak woodlands, and cloud forests, typically at elevations between 800 and 3,000 meters.

Range

Highlands of Mexico (Sierra Madre ranges) south through Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras.

Similar & commonly confused birds

AmauiMyadestes woahensis Andean SolitaireMyadestes ralloides Black-faced SolitaireMyadestes melanops Cuban SolitaireMyadestes elisabeth KamaoMyadestes myadestinus OlomaoMyadestes lanaiensis OmaoMyadestes obscurus PuaiohiMyadestes palmeri

Heard a Brown-backed Solitaire?

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