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-headed Nuthatch

Sitta pusilla

A tiny, social songbird of the southeastern United States, characterized by its brown cap, blue-gray wings, and specialized preference for pine forests.

What it sounds like

A rapid series of high-pitched, nasal squeaks that sounds remarkably similar to a squeezed rubber ducky.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 0:21

Rec. Valerie Heemstra · United StatesCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

One of the few avian species known to use tools, often employing a piece of bark as a lever to pry up other bark scales to find insects.
They frequently engage in cooperative breeding, where non-breeding 'helper' males assist the primary pair in feeding and defending the nest.
Possesses a distinct white spot on the nape of the neck that is most visible when the bird is actively foraging or agitated.
They are capable of walking vertically down tree trunks head-first, aided by exceptionally strong hind toes and specialized claws.
Highly specialized to fire-maintained pine ecosystems, they are particularly associated with mature Longleaf and Loblolly pine stands.

Habitat

Mature pine forests and open pine-oak woodlands with ample standing dead trees for nesting.

Range

Southeastern United States, ranging from eastern Texas to southern Delaware and south throughout Florida.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Algerian NuthatchSitta ledanti Bahama NuthatchSitta insularis Beautiful NuthatchSitta formosa Blue NuthatchSitta azurea Burmese NuthatchSitta neglecta Chestnut-bellied NuthatchSitta cinnamoventris Chestnut-vented NuthatchSitta nagaensis Corsican NuthatchSitta whiteheadi

Heard a Brown-headed Nuthatch?

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