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

Gray-barred Wren

Campylorhynchus megalopterus

A large, gregarious wren endemic to the high-altitude forests of central Mexico, distinguished by its striking black-and-white barred plumage.

What it sounds like

A loud, harsh, and rhythmic series of mechanical chattering and rasping notes, often performed in synchronized duets by pairs.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Étienne Leroy · MexicoCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is a social species that typically lives in family groups and exhibits cooperative breeding behavior.
The bird builds large, globular dormitory nests used for communal roosting throughout the year.
Unlike many wrens, it primarily forages high in the canopy, searching moss and epiphytes for invertebrates.
It is one of the larger members of the Troglodytidae family, measuring up to 19 centimeters in length.
The species is non-migratory and remains within its restricted montane range year-round.

Habitat

High-elevation humid montane forests, particularly those dominated by pine, oak, and fir trees with heavy epiphyte growth.

Range

Endemic to the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt of central Mexico.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Band-backed WrenCampylorhynchus zonatus Bicolored WrenCampylorhynchus griseus Boucard's WrenCampylorhynchus jocosus Cactus WrenCampylorhynchus brunneicapillus Fasciated WrenCampylorhynchus fasciatus Giant WrenCampylorhynchus chiapensis Rufous-backed WrenCampylorhynchus capistratus Russet-naped WrenCampylorhynchus humilis

Heard a Gray-barred Wren?

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