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

Hooded Warbler

Setophaga citrina

The Hooded Warbler is a vibrant yellow songbird of the forest understory, best known for the male's striking black 'hood' and its habit of nervously fanning its white-edged tail.

What it sounds like

A loud, ringing, musical series of whistles often transcribed as 'weeta-weeta-weet-teo'.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 0:17

Rec. Molly Jacobson · United StatesCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It frequently flashes its white outer rectrices (tail feathers) to startle and flush insect prey from the leaf litter.
Unlike many migratory songbirds, both males and females maintain and defend exclusive individual territories during the winter season.
It is a low-nesting specialist, typically placing its cup-shaped nest in shrubs or saplings only a few feet off the ground.
While the male's black hood is iconic, older females can develop a surprisingly similar, though often more muted, black facial pattern.
The species is highly sensitive to forest fragmentation, requiring large tracts of mature deciduous forest for successful breeding.

Habitat

Mature deciduous forests with a dense, shrubby undergrowth and natural canopy gaps.

Range

Breeds across the Eastern United States and Southern Ontario; winters in Central America and the Caribbean.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Adelaide's WarblerSetophaga adelaidae American RedstartSetophaga ruticilla Arrowhead WarblerSetophaga pharetra Bahama WarblerSetophaga flavescens Barbuda WarblerSetophaga subita Bay-breasted WarblerSetophaga castanea Black-throated Blue WarblerSetophaga caerulescens Black-throated Gray WarblerSetophaga nigrescens

Heard a Hooded Warbler?

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