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

Greater Antillean Grackle

Quiscalus niger

A medium-sized, highly social blackbird endemic to the Caribbean, characterized by its glossy black plumage, bright yellow irises, and keel-shaped tail.

What it sounds like

A complex repertoire of loud, metallic whistles, harsh 'chack' notes, and high-pitched squeaks.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

Field notes

Displays sexual dimorphism where males are larger and more iridescent than the brownish-black females.
Highly opportunistic omnivore that consumes insects, small vertebrates like lizards, fruit, and human food scraps.
Engages in 'anting' behavior, rubbing ants on feathers to utilize formic acid as a pesticide.
Forms communal roosts that can number in the thousands, particularly in urban plazas or mangroves.
The species is divided into seven distinct subspecies isolated across different islands in the Greater Antilles.

Habitat

Open areas including agricultural fields, urban parks, gardens, and coastal mangroves.

Range

The Greater Antilles, including Cuba, Hispaniola, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, and the Cayman Islands.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Boat-tailed GrackleQuiscalus major Carib GrackleQuiscalus lugubris Common GrackleQuiscalus quiscula Great-tailed GrackleQuiscalus mexicanus Nicaraguan GrackleQuiscalus nicaraguensis Slender-billed GrackleQuiscalus palustris

Heard a Greater Antillean Grackle?

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