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 Rock Chat

Oenanthe fusca

The Brown Rock Chat is a robust, uniformly sooty-brown bird of the wheatear family, frequently found around rocky terrain and human structures in South Asia.

What it sounds like

A sweet, whistling song resembling a human whistle; also emits a harsh 'check-check' alarm call.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Sreekumar Chirukandoth · IndiaCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

Formerly classified in the genus Cercomela, it was moved to Oenanthe following molecular phylogenetic analysis.
The species is highly commensal with humans, often nesting in wall crevices, old buildings, and occupied houses.
It displays a characteristic behavioral habit of frequently flicking its wings and tail simultaneously while perched.
They are accomplished mimics, often incorporating the songs of other birds like bulbuls and babblers into their own repertoire.
Unlike most wheatears, the Brown Rock Chat is largely sedentary and does not perform long-distance migrations.

Habitat

Rocky hills, cliffs, quarries, ruins, and stone walls in rural and suburban areas.

Range

Central and Northern India, extending into eastern Pakistan.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Abyssinian WheatearOenanthe lugubris Arabian WheatearOenanthe lugentoides Atlas WheatearOenanthe seebohmi Black WheatearOenanthe leucura BlackstartOenanthe melanura Brown-tailed ChatOenanthe scotocerca Buff-breasted WheatearOenanthe bottae Capped WheatearOenanthe pileata

Heard a Brown Rock Chat?

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Identify a bird by its song