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

Kentucky Warbler

Geothlypis formosa

A secretive, ground-dwelling wood-warbler of the deep forest undergrowth, recognized by its olive-green upperparts and striking black facial mask with yellow 'spectacles'.

What it sounds like

A loud, rolling, musical series of two-syllable whistles, typically rendered as 'churry-churry-churry-churry'.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 1:03

Rec. David A. Brinkman · United StatesCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is a strictly terrestrial nester, typically concealing its cup-shaped nest in thick leaf litter at the base of a shrub or sapling.
Unlike many arboreal warblers, this species spends the majority of its time walking or hopping along the forest floor like a thrush.
It is highly sensitive to forest fragmentation, requiring large, unfragmented tracts of deciduous woodland to maintain stable populations.
The species is frequently a host for the Brown-headed Cowbird, which often lays its eggs in the warbler's well-hidden ground nests.
Despite its common name, its breeding range encompasses most of the Eastern United States, reaching as far north as New Jersey and Iowa.

Habitat

Dense, moist deciduous forests with a lush, shrubby understory and heavy leaf litter.

Range

Breeds across the Eastern and Central United States; winters from Mexico through Central America to northwestern South America.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Altamira YellowthroatGeothlypis flavovelata Bahama YellowthroatGeothlypis rostrata Belding's YellowthroatGeothlypis beldingi Black-lored YellowthroatGeothlypis auricularis Black-polled YellowthroatGeothlypis speciosa Common YellowthroatGeothlypis trichas Gray-crowned YellowthroatGeothlypis poliocephala Hooded YellowthroatGeothlypis nelsoni

Heard a Kentucky 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