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-cowled Wood-Rail

Aramides cajaneus

A large, strikingly colored rail of Neotropical wetlands, distinguished by its slate-gray head and neck paired with a rich rufous breast and olive-green mantle.

What it sounds like

A loud, rhythmic, and raucous series of 'pop-it, pop-it' or 'chi-co-co-reah' notes, often performed as a synchronized duet between pairs.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. JAYRSON ARAUJO DE OLIVEIRA · BrazilCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It was formerly considered conspecific with the Russet-naped Wood-Rail before being split based on distinct vocal and plumage differences.
The species possesses bright coral-red legs and a stout, bicolored bill that is typically yellow-green with a reddish base.
Highly crepuscular in nature, these birds are most active and vocally persistent during the transition periods of dawn and dusk.
They are opportunistic omnivores, frequently seen using their strong bills to probe mud for crabs, mollusks, and aquatic insects.
When threatened, they prefer to run into dense undergrowth with a flicking tail rather than taking flight.

Habitat

Mangrove swamps, gallery forests, wooded marshes, and seasonally flooded areas near freshwater.

Range

Spans from southern Mexico through Central America to northern Argentina and Uruguay.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Brown Wood-RailAramides wolfi Giant Wood-RailAramides ypecaha Little Wood-RailAramides mangle Red-winged Wood-RailAramides calopterus Red-winged Wood-RailAramides calopterus Rufous-necked Wood-RailAramides axillaris Russet-naped Wood-RailAramides albiventris Slaty-breasted Wood-RailAramides saracura

Heard a Gray-cowled Wood-Rail?

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