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

Buckley's Forest-Falcon

Micrastur buckleyi

A secretive, medium-sized Neotropical raptor of the Amazonian canopy, often distinguished from the similar Collared Forest-Falcon by its smaller size and distinctive vocalizations.

What it sounds like

A series of slow, mournful, and nasal 'caol' or 'kow' notes repeated at intervals of several seconds.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 0:13

Rec. Kai Klawitter · PeruCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It possesses a specialized facial disc of stiff feathers that funnels sound, allowing it to hunt by ear in low-light conditions like an owl.
The species is highly elusive and is far more frequently detected by its voice than by visual observation in the dense forest.
Its physical adaptations, including short rounded wings and a long tail, allow for high-speed maneuvering through thick tropical vegetation.
The bird is primarily crepuscular, concentrating its hunting and calling activities during the transition periods of dawn and dusk.
Unlike many other falcons, it rarely soars in the open, preferring to remain within the cover of the primary forest canopy.

Habitat

Primary lowland evergreen rainforest, particularly tall terra firme forests.

Range

Western Amazon Basin, including parts of eastern Ecuador, eastern Peru, and western Brazil.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Barred Forest-FalconMicrastur ruficollis Collared Forest-FalconMicrastur semitorquatus Cryptic Forest-FalconMicrastur mintoni Lined Forest-FalconMicrastur gilvicollis Plumbeous Forest-FalconMicrastur plumbeus Slaty-backed Forest-FalconMicrastur mirandollei

Heard a Buckley's Forest-Falcon?

Open Birdsong, tap record, and identify the bird singing near you in seconds — then collect it in your field journal.

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