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 Yellow-headed Vulture

Cathartes burrovianus

A small, scavenger bird of prey distinguished by its colorful, featherless head and elegant, low-gliding flight over open landscapes.

What it sounds like

Generally silent; produces raspy hisses or soft, throaty grunts when feeding or threatened.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Luiz C. Silva · BrazilCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

Possesses an incredibly sensitive olfactory sense used to locate carcasses hidden beneath dense marsh vegetation.
Smaller and more slender than its close relative, the Greater Yellow-headed Vulture, with a notably shorter tail.
Lacks a syrinx, the vocal organ of birds, which restricts its vocalizations to simple hisses and gutteral grunts.
Characteristically flies with wings held in a pronounced dihedral (V-shape), often rocking rhythmically in the wind.
The primary feathers are distinctly paler than the rest of the underwing, creating a two-toned appearance in flight.

Habitat

Lowland grasslands, seasonally flooded savannas, marshes, and mangrove swamps.

Range

Central and South America, ranging from Mexico south to northern Argentina and Uruguay.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Greater Yellow-headed VultureCathartes melambrotus Lesser Yellow-headed VultureCathartes burrovianus Turkey VultureCathartes aura

Heard a Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture?

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