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 Owl

Strix fulvescens

A medium-sized, nocturnal wood owl of the Central American highlands, closely related to the Barred Owl but distinguished by its warmer, cinnamon-buff plumage.

What it sounds like

A series of rhythmic, hollow hoots similar to the 'Who cooks for you?' of the Barred Owl, but typically higher in pitch and faster in tempo.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Zsombor Károlyi · GuatemalaCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is considered the high-altitude tropical counterpart to the Barred Owl, though it is smaller and more ochraceous.
The species is strictly nocturnal and rarely observed during daylight hours, roosting in dense epiphytes or tree cavities.
Unlike many other owl genera, the Strix genus, including the Fulvous Owl, lacks external ear tufts, resulting in a smooth, rounded head profile.
Its plumage features heavy horizontal barring on the breast and vertical streaks on the belly, providing excellent camouflage in mossy cloud forests.
While primarily insectivorous and rodent-eating, it is known to take small birds and amphibians found within its montane territory.

Habitat

Humid montane forests, cloud forests, and pine-oak woodlands, typically at elevations between 1,200 and 3,000 meters.

Range

Highlands of Southern Mexico (Chiapas and Oaxaca) through Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras.

Similar & commonly confused birds

African Wood-OwlStrix woodfordii Barred OwlStrix varia Black-and-white OwlStrix nigrolineata Black-banded OwlStrix huhula Brown Wood-OwlStrix leptogrammica Chaco OwlStrix chacoensis Cinereous OwlStrix sartorii Desert OwlStrix hadorami

Heard a Fulvous Owl?

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