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

Hodgson's Redstart

Phoenicurus hodgsoni

A medium-sized Old World flycatcher native to high-altitude regions of Asia, characterized by its vibrant rufous underparts and constant tail-flicking behavior.

What it sounds like

A sharp, thin 'sip' or 'seee' call and a brief, high-pitched warbling song with scratchy notes.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Bo Shunqi 薄顺奇 · ChinaCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

Named after Brian Houghton Hodgson, a 19th-century diplomat and pioneer of Himalayan natural history.
Males are distinguished from the similar Black Redstart by their larger white wing patches and more extensive rufous plumage.
It is an altitudinal migrant, breeding in mountain scrub up to 4,300 meters and descending to lower valleys for winter.
Like other redstarts, it exhibits a characteristic rapid quivering or shivering of its tail when perched.
While primarily insectivorous, it significantly shifts its diet to include berries and seeds during the cold winter months.

Habitat

Subalpine scrub, open coniferous forests, and rocky riverine thickets.

Range

Himalayas and Tibetan Plateau, ranging from Nepal and Bhutan to central China.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Ala Shan RedstartPhoenicurus alaschanicus Black RedstartPhoenicurus ochruros Blue-capped RedstartPhoenicurus coeruleocephala Blue-fronted RedstartPhoenicurus frontalis Common RedstartPhoenicurus phoenicurus Daurian RedstartPhoenicurus auroreus Luzon RedstartPhoenicurus bicolor Moussier's RedstartPhoenicurus moussieri

Heard a Hodgson's Redstart?

Open Birdsong, tap record, and identify the bird singing near you in seconds — then collect it in your field journal.

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