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

Lazuli Bunting

Passerina amoena

A small, brilliantly colored songbird of the American West, characterized by the male's striking turquoise plumage and complex, buzzy vocalizations.

What it sounds like

A hurried, high-pitched series of warbling phrases often ending in a buzzy note; the call is a sharp, metallic 'pik'.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Ed Pandolfino · United StatesCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

Young males learn their songs from neighboring adults, resulting in distinct local dialects or 'song neighborhoods.'
They undergo a 'molt-migration,' stopping in the desert Southwest to replace their feathers before completing the journey to Mexico.
Lazuli Buntings frequently hybridize with Indigo Buntings in the Great Plains where their geographic ranges overlap.
The species name 'amoena' is derived from the Latin word for 'charming' or 'lovely.'
While males are vivid blue, females are a cryptic grayish-brown with subtle cinnamon breast bands to provide camouflage while nesting.

Habitat

Brushy hillsides, riparian thickets, scrublands, and recently burned forest clearings.

Range

Western North America, breeding from southern Canada to the Mexican border and wintering in western Mexico.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Blue GrosbeakPasserina caerulea Indigo BuntingPasserina cyanea Orange-breasted BuntingPasserina leclancherii Painted BuntingPasserina ciris Rose-bellied BuntingPasserina rositae Varied BuntingPasserina versicolor

Heard a Lazuli Bunting?

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Identify a bird by its song