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

Dusky Nightjar

Antrostomus saturatus

A small, exceptionally dark-plumaged nightjar endemic to the high-elevation mountains of Costa Rica and western Panama. It is distinguished by its nearly sooty appearance and high-altitude habitat preferences.

What it sounds like

A series of high-pitched, clear whistling notes typically rendered as 'pwee-pwee-pwee-pwee' or 'chip-whip-whip-whip'.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Hans Matheve · Costa RicaCC BY-NC-ND Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is the only nightjar species found at the highest elevations of the Talamanca range, reaching up to 3,100 meters.
Unlike most nightjars with complex brown patterns, this species has very dark, uniform plumage that looks almost black in low light.
Males possess distinct white tips on their outer tail feathers, whereas these tips are buff-colored or absent in females.
It typically hunts by sallying from a low perch or the ground to capture flying insects, rather than hunting continuously on the wing.
During the day, it roosts on the ground or low mossy branches, where its dark coloration mimics shadows and charred wood.

Habitat

Montane oak forests, cloud forest edges, and shrubby pastures in high-altitude zones.

Range

Highlands of Costa Rica and western Panama.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Buff-collared NightjarAntrostomus ridgwayi Chuck-will's-widowAntrostomus carolinensis Cuban NightjarAntrostomus cubanensis Eastern Whip-poor-willAntrostomus vociferus Hispaniolan NightjarAntrostomus ekmani Mexican Whip-poor-willAntrostomus arizonae Puerto Rican NightjarAntrostomus noctitherus Puerto Rican NightjarAntrostomus noctitherus

Heard a Dusky Nightjar?

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Identify a bird by its song