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-rumped Swift

Chaetura cinereiventris

A small, rapid-flying aerial insectivore distinguished by its 'cigar-shaped' body and a prominent pale gray rump contrasting with dark sooty plumage.

What it sounds like

A high-pitched, rapid series of chattering or twittering 'chip-chip-chip' notes.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 0:43

Rec. Joost van Bruggen · BrazilCC BY-NC-ND Xeno-canto

Field notes

Like other swifts, it uses glutinous saliva to cement its nest of twigs to the vertical interior of hollow trees or man-made structures.
It possesses specialized stiffened tail feathers that act as a tripod-like prop when clinging to vertical surfaces.
The species is highly gregarious and frequently joins mixed-species foraging flocks with other swifts and swallows.
It spends nearly its entire daylight existence on the wing, even drinking by skimming the surface of water bodies in flight.
Despite its small size, it is a powerful flyer capable of reaching high altitudes to exploit seasonal hatches of flying insects.

Habitat

Lowland evergreen forests, forest edges, and adjacent open clearings.

Range

Central and South America, ranging from Nicaragua south to northern Argentina and parts of the Caribbean.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Ashy-tailed SwiftChaetura andrei Band-rumped SwiftChaetura spinicaudus Chapman's SwiftChaetura chapmani Chimney SwiftChaetura pelagica Costa Rican SwiftChaetura fumosa Lesser Antillean SwiftChaetura martinica Pale-rumped SwiftChaetura egregia Short-tailed SwiftChaetura brachyura

Heard a Gray-rumped Swift?

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