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

Crimson-crested Woodpecker

Campephilus melanoleucos

A large, powerful Neotropical woodpecker distinguished by its vibrant red crest and white scapular lines that meet in a 'V' on the back. It is often identified by its signature double-tap drum, a characteristic shared with its relative, the Ivory-billed Woodpecker.

What it sounds like

A loud, nasal, and high-pitched 'kwee-ah' or 'pe-yeeuh,' frequently accompanied by a rapid-fire double-tap drumming.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Tristan Guillebot de Nerville · French GuianaCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It performs a distinctive 'double-tap' drum that is resonant and carries long distances through the forest canopy.
Unlike the similar Lineated Woodpecker, its white shoulder stripes converge on the lower back rather than remaining parallel.
Sexual dimorphism is evident in the head pattern: males have an almost entirely red head, while females have a white-and-black facial stripe.
The species is an apex excavator, primarily targeting the large larvae of wood-boring beetles found in dead or decaying timber.
It is one of the largest extant woodpecker species in South America, reaching a length of up to 38 centimeters.

Habitat

Lowland evergreen forests, forest edges, deciduous woodlands, and occasionally mangroves.

Range

Panama and across South America to northern Argentina, excluding the high Andes and the driest regions of the southwest.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Cream-backed WoodpeckerCampephilus leucopogon Crimson-bellied WoodpeckerCampephilus haematogaster Guayaquil WoodpeckerCampephilus gayaquilensis Imperial WoodpeckerCampephilus imperialis Imperial WoodpeckerCampephilus imperialis Ivory-billed WoodpeckerCampephilus principalis Magellanic WoodpeckerCampephilus magellanicus Pale-billed WoodpeckerCampephilus guatemalensis

Heard a Crimson-crested 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