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

Fulvous-crested Tanager

Tachyphonus surinamus

A sexually dimorphic, medium-sized tanager of the Amazonian interior, characterized by the male's glossy black plumage and partially concealed golden-orange crown.

What it sounds like

A sharp, metallic 'tsip' or 'tchep' note, and a fast, high-pitched, sibilant warble.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Manuel Sánchez-Nivicela · EcuadorCC BY-NC-ND Xeno-canto

Field notes

The male's eponymous fulvous crest is typically held flat and remains nearly invisible until elevated during territorial or courtship displays.
Unlike many related tanagers, the male possesses distinctive white patches on the flanks and underwing coverts that flash during flight.
Females exhibit dramatically different plumage, featuring olive-brown upperparts, a gray head, and buffy-yellow underparts.
They are highly social and often act as nuclear members of mixed-species foraging flocks in the forest mid-story.
Their diet is omnivorous, consisting of a varied mix of small arthropods and various forest fruits or berries.

Habitat

Humid lowland terra firme forest and mature secondary woodland.

Range

The Amazon Basin and Guiana Shield, including parts of Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, and the Guianas.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Red-shouldered TanagerTachyphonus phoenicius Ruby-crowned TanagerTachyphonus coronatus Tawny-crested TanagerTachyphonus delatrii White-lined TanagerTachyphonus rufus

Heard a Fulvous-crested Tanager?

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