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

Grassland Yellow-Finch

Sicalis luteola

A small, gregarious tanager-finch of open landscapes, characterized by its bright yellow underparts and olive-streaked mantle.

What it sounds like

A high-pitched, buzzy series of 'tsip' notes followed by a rapid, wheezy, sizzling trill.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 0:15

Rec. Robson Silva e Silva · BrazilCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

Despite its common name, it is taxonomically a member of the tanager family (Thraupidae) rather than the true finch family.
Males perform a conspicuous hovering song-flight to defend territories and attract mates during the breeding season.
Highly social outside of breeding, often forming nomadic flocks that can number in the hundreds or thousands.
Southern populations are migratory, traveling north toward the equator during the austral winter months.
The species is polytypic, with several distinct subspecies distributed across various elevations from sea level to the Andes.

Habitat

Open grasslands, savannas, agricultural fields, and marshy edges.

Range

Widespread throughout South America, with disjunct populations in Central America and the Caribbean.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Bright-rumped Yellow-FinchSicalis uropygialis Citron-headed Yellow-FinchSicalis luteocephala Greater Yellow-FinchSicalis auriventris Greenish Yellow-FinchSicalis olivascens Monte Yellow-FinchSicalis mendozae Orange-fronted Yellow-FinchSicalis columbiana Patagonian Yellow-FinchSicalis lebruni Puna Yellow-FinchSicalis lutea

Heard a Grassland Yellow-Finch?

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