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 Yellow-Finch

Sicalis auriventris

The largest member of its genus, the Greater Yellow-Finch is a robust, high-altitude specialist known for the male's striking golden-yellow plumage.

What it sounds like

A series of slow, rhythmic, and metallic whistling notes, often described as a repeated 'tsee-tsee-tsee'.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Santos Uranga · ArgentinaCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is the largest species in the genus Sicalis, reaching a total length of approximately 15 centimeters.
The species displays significant sexual dimorphism, with males being bright yellow and females exhibiting a more cryptic, grayish-olive plumage.
Unlike many other finches, it frequently nests in rocky crevices or stone walls rather than in shrubs or trees.
It is an altitudinal migrant, descending from high Andean slopes to lower valleys during the harsh austral winter.
While primarily granivorous, it often forages in small groups near alpine water sources and bogs.

Habitat

Rocky slopes, high-altitude puna grasslands, and montane scrublands near water.

Range

The Andes of central and southern Chile and western Argentina.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Bright-rumped Yellow-FinchSicalis uropygialis Citron-headed Yellow-FinchSicalis luteocephala Grassland Yellow-FinchSicalis luteola Greenish Yellow-FinchSicalis olivascens Monte Yellow-FinchSicalis mendozae Orange-fronted Yellow-FinchSicalis columbiana Patagonian Yellow-FinchSicalis lebruni Puna Yellow-FinchSicalis lutea

Heard a Greater Yellow-Finch?

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