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

Flammulated Owl

Psiloscops flammeolus

A tiny, cryptically colored owl of Western montane forests, notable for being the only small North American owl with dark eyes and a strictly insectivorous diet.

What it sounds like

A low, soft, single or double 'whoot' that is often ventriloquial and deceptively deep.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Peter Ward and Ken Hall · CanadaCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is almost entirely insectivorous, specializing in nocturnal moths, beetles, and crickets.
Unlike most other small owls in North America which have yellow eyes, it has dark brown or black irises.
It is a long-distance migrant, traveling from northern breeding grounds to wintering sites in Mexico and Central America.
The term 'flammulated' refers to the reddish, flame-like markings scattered across its grey-brown plumage.
Despite its small size—roughly that of a sparrow—it possesses a disproportionately deep and resonant voice.

Habitat

Mature montane coniferous forests, especially those featuring Ponderosa pine, Douglas-fir, and quaking aspen.

Range

Western North America, ranging from southern British Columbia through the western United States to southern Mexico.

Heard a Flammulated Owl?

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