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

Great Lizard-Cuckoo

Coccyzus merlini

The largest member of its genus, the Great Lizard-Cuckoo is a long-tailed, secretive bird endemic to the Caribbean islands.

What it sounds like

A rapid, accelerating series of guttural 'ka-ka-ka' notes that slow down into 'kow-kow' sounds.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 0:30

Rec. FREDERIC Lionel · CubaCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is the largest species in the genus Coccyzus, measuring up to 21 inches in length.
Unlike many other cuckoos, this species is not a brood parasite and builds its own stick nest.
Its diet is heavily focused on lizards, particularly anoles, which it stalks with slow, deliberate movements.
It possesses a distinctive patch of bare, bright red skin surrounding each eye.
The tail is exceptionally long and features broad white tips on the underside of the feathers.

Habitat

Dense tropical woodlands, scrub forests, and limestone thickets.

Range

Endemic to Cuba and the Bahamas.

Similar & commonly confused birds

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

Heard a Great Lizard-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