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-headed Bullfinch

Pyrrhula erythaca

A stocky, montane finch distinguished by its soft gray crown and the male's vibrant orange-red breast. It is a reclusive inhabitant of high-altitude forests across the Himalayas and East Asia.

What it sounds like

A soft, plaintive, two-note whistle described as 'puee-puee' or 'tu-ee'.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Bo Shunqi 薄顺奇 · ChinaCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

Males exhibit a striking orange-red breast, while females are more cryptically colored with buff-brown underparts.
Both sexes possess a characteristic black mask around the bill and eyes, sharply contrasting with their namesake gray heads.
The species is primarily granivorous, specializing in the seeds and buds of birch, willow, and coniferous trees.
During the breeding season, it is highly territorial but forms small, quiet family groups during the winter months.
It is an altitudinal migrant, typically breeding between 2,000 and 3,800 meters and descending to lower elevations during heavy snow.

Habitat

Subalpine coniferous and mixed forests, often near the tree line or within rhododendron thickets.

Range

Himalayas, Tibetan Plateau, Central and Western China, and Taiwan.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Azores BullfinchPyrrhula murina Brown BullfinchPyrrhula nipalensis Eurasian BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula Orange BullfinchPyrrhula aurantiaca Red-headed BullfinchPyrrhula erythrocephala Taiwan BullfinchPyrrhula owstoni White-cheeked BullfinchPyrrhula leucogenis

Heard a Gray-headed Bullfinch?

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