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

Eurasian Linnet

Linaria cannabina

A slender, small finch of open country, famous for the male's carmine-red breast and forehead during the breeding season. It is a highly social species often seen in bounding flight or gathering in large winter flocks.

What it sounds like

A fast, musical twittering song full of varied trills and whistles; flight call is a staccato, metallic 'tet-tet-tet'.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Anthony McGeehan · United KingdomCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

The names 'Linnet' and 'cannabina' derive from the bird's historical fondness for flax (Linum) and hemp (Cannabis) seeds.
Unlike most songbirds that feed their young insects, Linnets are almost entirely granivorous and feed their chicks regurgitated seeds.
The male's brilliant red plumage is diet-dependent and fades significantly during the winter months after the autumn moult.
They are semi-colonial nesters, often building their cup-shaped nests in close proximity within thickets of gorse or hawthorn.
During the 19th century, they were popular cage birds due to their melodious song, leading to significant local population declines.

Habitat

Scrubland, heathland, gorse-covered slopes, hedgerows, and edges of agricultural fields.

Range

Widespread throughout Europe, Western Asia, and North Africa; northern populations are migratory.

Similar & commonly confused birds

TwiteLinaria flavirostris Warsangli LinnetLinaria johannis Yemen LinnetLinaria yemenensis

Heard a Eurasian Linnet?

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