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-winged Parrotbill

Suthora brunnea

A small, charismatic passerine characterized by its stout, parrot-like bill and warm chestnut plumage. It is primarily found navigating dense bamboo and scrub in high-altitude montane regions.

What it sounds like

A series of high-pitched, thin 'tsit' notes often accelerating into a dry, chattering warble.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

No reference call found yet · Xeno-canto

Field notes

Possesses a deep, laterally compressed bill specifically adapted for crushing hard seeds and extracting insects from bamboo.
Typically moves in active social groups of 5 to 15 individuals, often remaining hidden within dense undergrowth.
Features a distinctive rich chestnut-brown crown and wings that contrast sharply with a paler, buffy-grey throat and breast.
Its taxonomic placement has historically shifted, having been moved from the genus Paradoxornis to Suthora based on genetic analysis.
During the non-breeding season, it frequently joins mixed-species foraging flocks to increase protection from predators.

Habitat

Montane bamboo thickets, shrubby grasslands, and secondary forest edges at elevations between 1,500 and 3,300 meters.

Range

Southwestern China (Yunnan and Sichuan) and northeastern Myanmar.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Ashy-throated ParrotbillSuthora alphonsiana Black-throated ParrotbillSuthora nipalensis Eye-ringed ParrotbillSuthora ricketti Fulvous ParrotbillSuthora fulvifrons Golden ParrotbillSuthora verreauxi Gray-hooded ParrotbillSuthora zappeyi Pale-billed ParrotbillSuthora atrosuperciliaris Rusty-throated ParrotbillSuthora przewalskii

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