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

Kirtland's Warbler

Setophaga kirtlandii

A rare, conservation-reliant wood-warbler known for its highly specific nesting requirements and striking yellow underparts.

What it sounds like

A loud, low-pitched, bubbly series of 5-10 whistling notes that increase in volume and end abruptly.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 0:43

Rec. Sue Riffe · United StatesCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It nests almost exclusively on the ground under the low branches of young jack pine trees.
The species requires large tracts of 5- to 20-year-old jack pines, which historically relied on wildfire for regeneration.
It was one of the first species listed under the U.S. Endangered Species Act in 1973 and has since seen a significant population recovery.
The bird exhibits a distinctive behavior of frequently bobbing its tail up and down while perched or foraging.
Brown-headed Cowbird parasitism was once a primary threat, necessitating intensive management programs to protect warbler nests.

Habitat

Young jack pine stands on sandy outwash plains, typically 5 to 20 years old and 5 to 15 feet tall.

Range

Primary breeding grounds in Michigan's Lower Peninsula, with small populations in Wisconsin and Ontario; winters in the Bahamas.

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 Kirtland's 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