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

Cream-backed Woodpecker

Campephilus leucopogon

A large, powerful South American woodpecker easily identified by its prominent creamy-white back and striking red crest.

What it sounds like

A loud, nasal 'kew-kew-kew' series and a resonant, two-hit explosive drum.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 0:25

Rec. Luciano Buck · UruguayCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It performs a diagnostic 'double-tap' drum, a rhythmic signature common to the genus Campephilus.
Sexual dimorphism is prominent; males possess a full red crest, while females have a black forehead and a white-and-black malar stripe.
The species is a primary inhabitant of the Gran Chaco, adapted to both semi-arid and transitional forest environments.
Its cream-colored mantle creates a distinctive 'V' shape on its back, which serves as a high-contrast field mark.
The bird specializes in extracting large wood-boring beetle larvae from dead or decaying trunks using its chisel-like bill.

Habitat

Dry deciduous forests, savanna woodlands, and palm groves.

Range

South-central South America, including northern Argentina, Paraguay, Bolivia, and southwest Brazil.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Crimson-bellied WoodpeckerCampephilus haematogaster Crimson-crested WoodpeckerCampephilus melanoleucos Guayaquil WoodpeckerCampephilus gayaquilensis Imperial WoodpeckerCampephilus imperialis Imperial WoodpeckerCampephilus imperialis Ivory-billed WoodpeckerCampephilus principalis Magellanic WoodpeckerCampephilus magellanicus Pale-billed WoodpeckerCampephilus guatemalensis

Heard a Cream-backed Woodpecker?

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