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

Golden-fronted Woodpecker

Melanerpes aurifrons

A medium-sized woodpecker of the American Southwest and Central America, distinguished by its vibrant gold-to-orange patches on the nape and forehead.

What it sounds like

A loud, rolling, raspy 'churr' or a sharp, repetitive 'kek-kek-kek'.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Cheng-En, HSIEH · BelizeCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

Adult males possess a small red crown patch that is absent in females, though both sexes share the eponymous golden forehead.
They are highly omnivorous, consuming a diverse diet of insects, mesquite beans, cactus fruit, and occasionally small lizards.
The species frequently hybridizes with the closely related Red-bellied Woodpecker in narrow zones of range overlap in Texas.
They are primary cavity nesters, often hollowing out sites in mesquite, oak, or pecan trees, which provide essential habitat for other birds.
Unlike many other woodpeckers, they frequently visit backyard feeders for suet, sunflower seeds, and sliced oranges.

Habitat

Mesquite brushlands, riparian corridors, and semi-open woodlands.

Range

South-central United States (primarily Texas) through Mexico to Nicaragua.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Acorn WoodpeckerMelanerpes formicivorus Beautiful WoodpeckerMelanerpes pulcher Black-cheeked WoodpeckerMelanerpes pucherani Gila WoodpeckerMelanerpes uropygialis Golden-cheeked WoodpeckerMelanerpes chrysogenys Golden-naped WoodpeckerMelanerpes chrysauchen Gray-breasted WoodpeckerMelanerpes hypopolius Guadeloupe WoodpeckerMelanerpes herminieri

Heard a Golden-fronted Woodpecker?

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