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

Groove-billed Ani

Crotophaga sulcirostris

A social, tropical cuckoo characterized by its all-black plumage and a distinctive, oversized bill marked with longitudinal grooves. It is best known for its communal nesting habits and presence in open, scrubby landscapes.

What it sounds like

A thin, high-pitched, rising 'tee-ho' or 'pwee-oh' that sounds somewhat liquid or metallic.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 0:27

Rec. Étienne Leroy · MexicoCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

They practice communal nesting where up to five pairs share a single nest and cooperatively raise the young.
Female anis often engage in 'egg-tossing,' removing eggs laid by other females in the communal nest until they begin laying their own.
The species is frequently seen following livestock to forage on insects like grasshoppers that are flushed by the animals' movement.
Unlike many other members of the cuckoo family (Cuculidae), the Groove-billed Ani is not a brood parasite.
Their feathers have a distinct iridescent sheen that can appear blue or green in direct sunlight despite being fundamentally black.

Habitat

Pastures, scrublands, second-growth forests, and agricultural edges with thickets.

Range

From the southernmost tip of Texas through Central America to northern South America, including Peru and Ecuador.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Greater AniCrotophaga major Smooth-billed AniCrotophaga ani

Heard a Groove-billed Ani?

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