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

Chestnut-headed Chachalaca

Ortalis ruficeps

The Chestnut-headed Chachalaca is a medium-sized, social cracid endemic to the Amazonian forests of Brazil, recognized by its distinctive rufous plumage on the head and neck.

What it sounds like

A loud, raucous, and rhythmic 'cha-cha-la-ka' often performed as a synchronized duet or group chorus.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Michael · BrazilCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It was historically considered a subspecies of the Variable Chachalaca (Ortalis motmot) before being elevated to species status.
The species is highly social and typically travels in small, noisy family groups of 4 to 12 individuals.
Unlike many other cracids, it is relatively tolerant of human-altered landscapes and secondary-growth forests.
It has a specialized diet consisting primarily of fruits, berries, and occasionally leaves or insects found in the mid-canopy.
The long, dark tail features pale buffy-brown tips on the outer feathers, which are visible during flight.

Habitat

Lowland tropical moist forests, forest edges, and dense secondary growth near water sources.

Range

North-central Brazil, specifically south of the Amazon River between the Tapajós and Tocantins rivers.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Buff-browed ChachalacaOrtalis superciliaris Chaco ChachalacaOrtalis canicollis Chestnut-winged ChachalacaOrtalis garrula Colombian ChachalacaOrtalis columbiana East Brazilian ChachalacaOrtalis araucuan Gray-headed ChachalacaOrtalis cinereiceps Plain ChachalacaOrtalis vetula Rufous-bellied ChachalacaOrtalis wagleri

Heard a Chestnut-headed Chachalaca?

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