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

Cave Swallow

Petrochelidon fulva

A small, social aerial insectivore known for its buffy throat and forehead, closely related to the Cliff Swallow but preferring subterranean or sheltered nesting sites.

What it sounds like

A series of high-pitched, melodic squeaks and soft, rhythmic chattering warbles.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 1:13

Rec. Phoenix Birder · United StatesCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

Unlike the Cliff Swallow's gourd-shaped nest, the Cave Swallow builds an open, cup-shaped nest made of mud and plant fibers.
The species has undergone a significant range expansion in the United States by adapting to nest under highway bridges and in culverts.
In late autumn, Cave Swallows frequently engage in 'reverse migration,' appearing in large numbers along the northeastern U.S. coast.
They are highly colonial, with some cave systems in the Southwest housing thousands of nesting individuals simultaneously.
Field identification relies on their cinnamon-colored forehead and pale buffy throat, which distinguishes them from the dark-throated Cliff Swallow.

Habitat

Caves, sinkholes, and increasingly under man-made structures like bridges and highway culverts near open water.

Range

Southwestern United States, Mexico, and the Caribbean islands.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Chestnut-collared SwallowPetrochelidon rufocollaris Cliff SwallowPetrochelidon pyrrhonota Fairy MartinPetrochelidon ariel Preuss's SwallowPetrochelidon preussi Red Sea SwallowPetrochelidon perdita Red-throated SwallowPetrochelidon rufigula South African SwallowPetrochelidon spilodera Streak-throated SwallowPetrochelidon fluvicola

Heard a Cave Swallow?

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