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

Epaulet Oriole

Icterus cayanensis

A sleek, jet-black icterid distinguished by its vibrant yellow shoulder patches and slender profile. It is a socially active bird primarily found in the tropical lowlands and forest edges of South America.

What it sounds like

A series of clear, fluty, and melodic whistles, often interspersed with drier 'chuck' or 'tluk' notes.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 1:43

Rec. Frank Lambert · ColombiaCC BY-NC-ND Xeno-canto

Field notes

The species is sexually monomorphic, with both males and females displaying the characteristic black plumage and yellow epaulets.
It was formerly considered conspecific with the Moriche Oriole (Icterus chrysocephalus) before taxonomic revisions separated them.
They frequently construct their long, pendulous nests near active wasp colonies to benefit from the insects' aggressive territorial protection.
Their diet is highly varied, consisting of arthropods, seasonal fruits, and nectar harvested from canopy-dwelling epiphytes.
Epaulet Orioles are known to join mixed-species foraging flocks, often traveling with tanagers and other canopy-dwelling insectivores.

Habitat

Humid lowland forests, gallery forests, palm groves, and forest borders.

Range

Widespread across the Amazon Basin, the Guianas, and central South America.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Altamira OrioleIcterus gularis Audubon's OrioleIcterus graduacauda Bahama OrioleIcterus northropi Baltimore OrioleIcterus galbula Bar-winged OrioleIcterus maculialatus Black-backed OrioleIcterus abeillei Black-cowled OrioleIcterus prosthemelas Black-vented OrioleIcterus wagleri

Heard a Epaulet Oriole?

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