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-cheeked Rail

Rallus indicus

The Brown-cheeked Rail is a secretive, medium-sized marsh bird of East Asia, formerly considered a subspecies of the Water Rail but distinguished by its namesake brown ear-coverts.

What it sounds like

A sharp, metallic 'shree' or 'krek-krek' series, notably lacking the pig-like squealing characteristic of the Western Water Rail.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Peter Boesman · ChinaCC BY-NC-ND Xeno-canto

Field notes

Elevated to full species status based on distinct vocalizations and morphological differences from the Western Water Rail.
Features a more extensively red bill and darker, more heavily streaked upperparts than its European counterparts.
The species is partially migratory, with northern populations moving to Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent for the winter.
Possesses long, slender toes that distribute its weight, allowing it to walk across floating vegetation and soft mud without sinking.
Unlike the white undertail coverts of the Water Rail, this species typically displays brownish or buff-toned undertail plumage.

Habitat

Dense reedbeds, freshwater marshes, and wet grasslands near standing water.

Range

Breeds in Eastern Siberia, Northeast China, and Japan; winters in Southern China, Indochina, and parts of Northern India.

Similar & commonly confused birds

African RailRallus caerulescens Austral RailRallus antarcticus Aztec RailRallus tenuirostris Bogota RailRallus semiplumbeus Clapper RailRallus crepitans Ecuadorian RailRallus aequatorialis King RailRallus elegans Madagascar RailRallus madagascariensis

Heard a Brown-cheeked Rail?

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