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

Lesser Goldfinch

Spinus psaltria

The Lesser Goldfinch is the smallest North American finch, distinguished by its vibrant yellow underparts and distinct olive or black dorsal plumage.

What it sounds like

A plaintive, rising 'tee-yee' whistle and a rapid, twittering song of mimicked notes and trills.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 0:14

Rec. Denis Dujardin · United StatesCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is a prolific mimic, capable of incorporating the songs and calls of over 40 other bird species into its own complex vocalizations.
Male plumage exhibits clinical variation; western populations are typically green-backed, while eastern populations in Texas and Mexico are often black-backed.
Unlike many other migratory songbirds, Lesser Goldfinches often remain in pairs even when joining large communal flocks during the winter.
Their diet is almost exclusively granivorous, with a strong preference for seeds from the Asteraceae family, such as thistles and wild sunflowers.
They have an exceptionally long breeding season compared to other finches, often nesting from early spring through late autumn.

Habitat

Open woodlands, scrublands, riparian thickets, and suburban gardens.

Range

Western United States through Central America to northwestern South America.

Similar & commonly confused birds

American GoldfinchSpinus tristis Andean SiskinSpinus spinescens Antillean SiskinSpinus dominicensis Black SiskinSpinus atratus Black-capped SiskinSpinus atriceps Black-chinned SiskinSpinus barbatus Black-headed SiskinSpinus notatus Eurasian SiskinSpinus spinus

Heard a Lesser Goldfinch?

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