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 Pheasant

Chrysolophus pictus

A spectacularly plumaged galliform bird native to the mountainous forests of China, renowned for the male's brilliant golden crest and ruff.

What it sounds like

A harsh, metallic 'chack-chack' or a shrill, screeching whistle.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Jelle Scharringa · ChinaCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

During courtship, the male fans out its orange and black 'cape' until it covers most of the face, leaving only the eye visible to the female.
Despite their neon colors, they are exceptionally shy and difficult to observe in their native habitat, where they frequent dense, dark undergrowth.
The species exhibits extreme sexual dimorphism, with females possessing cryptic, mottled brown plumage to remain hidden while ground-nesting.
They are primarily terrestrial, preferring to run from danger, though they can perform a 'flush'—a sudden, noisy vertical burst of flight.
The Golden Pheasant is closely related to the Lady Amherst's Pheasant and is known to produce fertile hybrids in both captivity and the wild.

Habitat

Dense forests and bamboo thickets in mountainous or hilly terrain.

Range

Native to Western China; established feral populations in the United Kingdom and various other countries.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Lady Amherst's PheasantChrysolophus amherstiae

Heard a Golden Pheasant?

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