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-capped Cuckoo

Coccyzus lansbergi

The Gray-capped Cuckoo is an elusive Neotropical bird recognized by its slate-gray crown and warm rufous plumage. It is a non-parasitic member of the Cuculidae family that inhabits various lowland woodland environments.

What it sounds like

A rapid, guttural series of accelerating 'kuk-kuk-kuk' notes that may slow down or descend slightly at the end.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Tuomas Seimola · EcuadorCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

Unlike many Old World cuckoos, this species is non-parasitic and builds its own shallow stick nests to raise its offspring.
Its diet consists primarily of large insects, with a specialized preference for hairy caterpillars and cicadas.
The species name 'lansbergi' honors Reinhart van Lansberge, a 19th-century Dutch diplomat who collected the type specimen in Venezuela.
It is considered an intra-tropical migrant, moving between breeding and non-breeding grounds within South America and occasionally reaching Panama.
The bird is known for its 'skulking' behavior, often sitting perfectly still in dense foliage for long intervals while hunting.

Habitat

Tropical deciduous forests, arid scrublands, mangroves, and secondary growth thickets.

Range

Northern South America, primarily Colombia and Venezuela, with migratory records in Panama, Ecuador, and Peru.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Bay-breasted CuckooCoccyzus rufigularis Black-billed CuckooCoccyzus erythropthalmus Chestnut-bellied CuckooCoccyzus pluvialis Cocos CuckooCoccyzus ferrugineus Dark-billed CuckooCoccyzus melacoryphus Great Lizard-CuckooCoccyzus merlini Hispaniolan Lizard-CuckooCoccyzus longirostris Jamaican Lizard-CuckooCoccyzus vetula

Heard a Gray-capped Cuckoo?

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