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 Redpoll

Acanthis flammea

A small, resilient finch of the high north, recognized by its crimson forehead patch and black goatee-like chin spot.

What it sounds like

A distinctive, rapid 'chit-chit-chit' flight call and a rising, buzzy 'sweee-et' whistle.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 0:08

Rec. Jesper Lindegren · SwedenCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

Can survive temperatures as low as -65°F by tunneling into snow to utilize its insulating properties.
Possesses an esophageal diverticulum, a specialized pouch that allows it to store seeds for later consumption in warmer, sheltered locations.
Exhibits dramatic 'irruptive' migration patterns, appearing in large numbers far south of its typical range when northern birch seed crops fail.
Highly acrobatic foragers, often hanging upside down from thin birch or alder catkins to reach seeds.
Metabolic studies show they can increase their basal metabolic rate by up to 400% to generate body heat during extreme arctic winters.

Habitat

Subarctic birch forests, willow scrub, tundra edges, and weedy fields during winter.

Range

Circumpolar; breeds across northern North America, Europe, and Asia.

Similar & commonly confused birds

RedpollAcanthis flammea

Heard a Common Redpoll?

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