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

Highland Elaenia

Elaenia obscura

A subtly colored tyrant flycatcher of South American montane regions, distinguished by its lack of a prominent white crown patch and its bushy crest.

What it sounds like

A low, raspy, and somewhat melancholic 'zhee-ur' or 'tshir-p', often repeated at intervals.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 3:37

Rec. Niels Krabbe · BoliviaCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

Unlike many other Elaenia species, it typically lacks a conspicuous white or yellow hidden crown patch.
The species is notably more frugivorous than many other tyrant flycatchers, often congregating at fruiting trees.
It is a relatively large elaenia with dark, olive-brown upperparts and a distinctly bushy, rounded crest.
Taxonomic revisions recently split the former Highland Elaenia into two species: the Highland Elaenia (E. obscura) and the Chaco Elaenia (E. sordida).
It is often found in pairs or small family groups rather than joining large mixed-species foraging flocks.

Habitat

Humid montane forest borders, secondary growth, and scrubby highland pastures.

Range

The Andes from Colombia and Venezuela south through Peru and Bolivia to northwest Argentina.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Blue Mountain ElaeniaElaenia fallax Brownish ElaeniaElaenia pelzelni Caribbean ElaeniaElaenia martinica Coopmans's ElaeniaElaenia brachyptera Great ElaeniaElaenia dayi Hispaniolan ElaeniaElaenia cherriei Large ElaeniaElaenia spectabilis Lesser ElaeniaElaenia chiriquensis

Heard a Highland Elaenia?

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