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

Imperial Woodpecker

Campephilus imperialis

The Imperial Woodpecker is the world's largest woodpecker species, now critically endangered and possibly extinct, formerly endemic to the high-altitude forests of Mexico.

What it sounds like

Described as a series of nasal, toy-trumpet-like 'hk-hk-hk' notes, along with a powerful and resonant double-knock drum.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

No reference call found yet · Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is the largest woodpecker ever recorded, reaching total body lengths of up to 60 centimeters (24 inches).
A single breeding pair required a massive territory of at least 26 square kilometers of undisturbed old-growth forest.
Unlike many solitary large woodpeckers, this species was known to travel in social family groups of up to eight individuals.
The bird was often targeted by locals for food, traditional medicine, and to prevent it from damaging timber trees.
The only known motion picture of the species is a short 16mm film clip taken in 1956, which remains the last confirmed record.

Habitat

Mature, high-altitude montane pine-oak and old-growth coniferous forests above 2,100 meters.

Range

Sierra Madre Occidental of Mexico.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Cream-backed WoodpeckerCampephilus leucopogon Crimson-bellied WoodpeckerCampephilus haematogaster Crimson-crested WoodpeckerCampephilus melanoleucos Guayaquil WoodpeckerCampephilus gayaquilensis Imperial WoodpeckerCampephilus imperialis Ivory-billed WoodpeckerCampephilus principalis Magellanic WoodpeckerCampephilus magellanicus Pale-billed WoodpeckerCampephilus guatemalensis

Heard a Imperial Woodpecker?

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