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

Hill Swallow

Hirundo domicola

A small, non-migratory swallow endemic to the high-altitude regions of southern India and Sri Lanka, distinguished by its rufous throat and square tail.

What it sounds like

A soft, rapid twittering song and short, metallic 'swee' or 'chit-chit' contact calls.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Sathyan Meppayur · IndiaCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It was formerly classified as a subspecies of the Pacific Swallow (Hirundo tahitica) before being recognized as a distinct species.
Unlike the Barn Swallow, the Hill Swallow lacks long outer tail streamers, possessing a shorter, more square-ended tail profile.
The species is largely sedentary, remaining in its high-altitude range year-round rather than performing long-distance migrations.
It constructs an open-cup nest made of mud pellets, frequently placing it under the eaves of buildings or on rocky cliff ledges.
It is typically restricted to elevations above 700 meters, often found foraging for insects over montane grasslands and tea estates.

Habitat

Montane grasslands, tea plantations, hill stations, and open areas near water or cliffs.

Range

Western Ghats of southern India and the central highlands of Sri Lanka.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Angola SwallowHirundo angolensis Barn SwallowHirundo rustica Black-and-rufous SwallowHirundo nigrorufa Ethiopian SwallowHirundo aethiopica Montane Blue SwallowHirundo atrocaerulea Pacific SwallowHirundo javanica Pearl-breasted SwallowHirundo dimidiata Pied-winged SwallowHirundo leucosoma

Heard a Hill Swallow?

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