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 Silky-flycatcher

Ptiliogonys cinereus

An elegant, long-tailed songbird of the Mexican highlands distinguished by its silky ash-gray plumage and prominent pointed crest.

What it sounds like

A soft, liquid 'chu-pwept' or 'tu-lee' and high-pitched, metallic 'tsip' notes.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Matthew L. Brady · MexicoCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

Closely related to waxwings, it possesses the same specialized soft, silky plumage texture.
Mistletoe berries constitute a primary part of its diet, and the species plays a key role in seed dispersal.
Displays sexual dimorphism; males are a uniform steel-gray while females show browner tones on the back and breast.
Frequently perches atop high, exposed snags to sally out for flying insects in a flycatcher-like manner.
Both sexes feature a striking yellow vent and undertail covert area that contrasts sharply with their gray bodies.

Habitat

Humid montane forests, oak-pine woodlands, and forest edges at high elevations.

Range

Highlands of Mexico and Guatemala.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Long-tailed Silky-flycatcherPtiliogonys caudatus

Heard a Gray Silky-flycatcher?

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