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-chested Martin

Progne tapera

The Brown-chested Martin is a large, drab Neotropical swallow distinguished by its lack of iridescence and its reliance on the mud nests of other bird species for breeding.

What it sounds like

A soft, liquid, descending gurgle or trill, often transcribed as 'choo-choo-choo'.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Fabrício Grigolin · BrazilCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is the only member of the genus Progne that lacks glossy blue-black or purple plumage in both sexes.
The species is known for 'pirating' or utilizing abandoned mud nests of the Rufous Hornero (Furnarius rufus) rather than excavating its own cavities.
Southern populations are highly migratory, traveling as far north as Panama and the Caribbean during the austral winter.
Unlike most martins, males and females are sexually monomorphic, possessing nearly identical plumage.
It is often observed perching on barbed-wire fences or bare branches near open water and grasslands.

Habitat

Open grasslands, savannas, agricultural fields, and riparian corridors.

Range

Widespread across South America, from northern Argentina to Colombia, and seasonally into Central America.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Caribbean MartinProgne dominicensis Cuban MartinProgne cryptoleuca Galapagos MartinProgne modesta Gray-breasted MartinProgne chalybea Peruvian MartinProgne murphyi Purple MartinProgne subis Sinaloa MartinProgne sinaloae Southern MartinProgne elegans

Heard a Brown-chested Martin?

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