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

Cocos Cuckoo

Coccyzus ferrugineus

A medium-sized, secretive cuckoo endemic to the remote Cocos Island, characterized by its warm rufous plumage and long, white-tipped tail.

What it sounds like

A rapid, rhythmic series of guttural, staccato 'kawk' or 'chuck' notes, similar to the Mangrove Cuckoo.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

No reference call found yet · Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is strictly endemic to the 23-square-kilometer Cocos Island, located approximately 340 miles off the Pacific coast of Costa Rica.
Unlike many Old World cuckoos, this species is not a brood parasite and constructs its own stick nests to raise its young.
The specific name 'ferrugineus' is derived from Latin, meaning 'rust-colored,' referring to the bird's distinctive rufous-washed plumage.
It is listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN due to its extremely restricted range, making it highly susceptible to habitat changes or invasive species.
The bird is a generalist predator that consumes large insects like cicadas and small vertebrates, including lizards found in the forest understory.

Habitat

Humid tropical evergreen forests, dense Hibiscus thickets, and second-growth scrub.

Range

Cocos Island, Costa Rica (Eastern Pacific Ocean).

Similar & commonly confused birds

Bay-breasted CuckooCoccyzus rufigularis Black-billed CuckooCoccyzus erythropthalmus Chestnut-bellied CuckooCoccyzus pluvialis Dark-billed CuckooCoccyzus melacoryphus Gray-capped CuckooCoccyzus lansbergi Great Lizard-CuckooCoccyzus merlini Hispaniolan Lizard-CuckooCoccyzus longirostris Jamaican Lizard-CuckooCoccyzus vetula

Heard a Cocos Cuckoo?

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