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

Collared Scops-Owl

Otus lettia

A small, nocturnal owl with prominent ear tufts and a distinctive pale collar, common across South and Southeast Asian woodlands.

What it sounds like

A soft, mournful, and slightly down-slurred 'whuoo' or 'boo', typically repeated at steady intervals of several seconds.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 0:53

Rec. Lim Ying Hien 林勇贤 · MalaysiaCC BY-NC-ND Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is one of the larger species within the Otus genus, reaching up to 25 cm in length.
Possesses a pale, buffy-yellow collar on the hindneck that helps break up its silhouette against tree bark.
Exhibits two distinct color morphs: a common grayish-brown form and a less frequent rufous form.
Primarily insectivorous, though it opportunistically hunts small rodents, birds, and lizards.
Nests almost exclusively in natural tree hollows or abandoned woodpecker holes.

Habitat

Open forests, deciduous woodlands, gardens, and cultivated areas with mature trees.

Range

From the Himalayas and northern India through Southeast Asia to southern China.

Similar & commonly confused birds

African Scops-OwlOtus senegalensis Andaman Scops-OwlOtus balli Anjouan Scops-OwlOtus capnodes Arabian Scops-OwlOtus pamelae Banggai Scops-OwlOtus mendeni Biak Scops-OwlOtus beccarii Comoro Scops-OwlOtus pauliani Cyprus Scops-OwlOtus cyprius

Heard a Collared Scops-Owl?

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