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-capped Vireo

Vireo leucophrys

A small, arboreal songbird of Neotropical highlands, distinguished from its northern relatives by a prominent dusky-brown crown and bold white supercilium.

What it sounds like

A hurried, liquid warble of rising and falling notes, often ending in a sharp, questioning upward inflection.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 4:19

Rec. Manuel Sánchez-Nivicela · EcuadorCC BY-NC-ND Xeno-canto

Field notes

It was historically considered conspecific with the Warbling Vireo due to their nearly identical vocalizations.
The species is primarily sedentary, unlike its migratory North American counterparts, though some populations exhibit altitudinal movement.
There are approximately 13 recognized subspecies, showing subtle variations in plumage across their fragmented mountain ranges.
It forages actively in the mid-to-upper canopy, often joining mixed-species flocks to glean insects from the undersides of leaves.
The nest is a characteristic vireo 'pendant cup,' meticulously woven from moss, lichens, and spiderwebs and suspended from a branch fork.

Habitat

Humid montane forests, cloud forests, and shaded coffee plantations.

Range

Highlands from southern Mexico through Central America to the Andes of Venezuela and Bolivia.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Bell's VireoVireo bellii Black-capped VireoVireo atricapilla Black-whiskered VireoVireo altiloquus Blue Mountain VireoVireo osburni Blue-headed VireoVireo solitarius Cassin's VireoVireo cassinii Chivi VireoVireo chivi Choco VireoVireo masteri

Heard a Brown-capped Vireo?

Open Birdsong, tap record, and identify the bird singing near you in seconds — then collect it in your field journal.

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