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

Common Cuckoo

Cuculus canorus

The Common Cuckoo is a medium-sized insectivore renowned for its obligate brood parasitism and its iconic, eponymous vocalization. It is a long-distance migrant that plays a significant role in avian evolutionary biology through its 'arms race' with host species.

What it sounds like

The male produces a clear, fluty, two-note 'cu-coo'; the female emits a distinctive, rapid, liquid bubbling sound.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Peter Boesman · ChinaCC BY-NC-ND Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is an obligate brood parasite, laying its eggs in the nests of other birds, such as reed warblers and meadow pipits.
Females have evolved the ability to produce eggs that mimic the color and pattern of their specific host's eggs.
The species exhibits Batesian mimicry; its plumage and flight pattern closely resemble a sparrowhawk to intimidate host birds.
A newly hatched cuckoo chick instinctively ejects the host's own eggs or hatchlings from the nest to secure all resources.
Common Cuckoos specialize in eating large, hairy caterpillars that contain toxins avoided by most other bird species.

Habitat

Found in a variety of landscapes including open woodlands, marshes, moorlands, and agricultural fringes.

Range

Widespread breeding range across Europe and temperate Asia, migrating to sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia for the winter.

Similar & commonly confused birds

African CuckooCuculus gularis Black CuckooCuculus clamosus Himalayan CuckooCuculus saturatus Indian CuckooCuculus micropterus Lesser CuckooCuculus poliocephalus Madagascar CuckooCuculus rochii Oriental CuckooCuculus optatus Red-chested CuckooCuculus solitarius

Heard a Common Cuckoo?

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