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

Mangrove Cuckoo

Coccyzus minor

A secretive, slender Neotropical cuckoo characterized by its warm buffy underparts and a distinct black facial mask. It is a master of camouflage within dense coastal thickets, often remaining motionless for long periods while hunting.

What it sounds like

A series of guttural, rhythmic, and throaty 'gawk-gawk-gawk-gawk' notes, slower and deeper than the call of the Yellow-billed Cuckoo.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Paul Lenrumé · French GuianaCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

Unlike many Old World cuckoos, this species is not a brood parasite and builds its own flimsy stick nests to raise its young.
It is a specialist consumer of large, toxic caterpillars, which it prepares by thrashing them against branches to remove irritating hairs.
The underside of its long tail features a striking pattern of large white spots against a dark background, a key diagnostic feature in flight.
It exhibits a 'sit-and-wait' foraging strategy, staying so still that it is frequently overlooked by birdwatchers until it makes a sudden movement.
While primarily insectivorous, it is opportunistic and has been documented preying on small lizards and frogs.

Habitat

Coastal mangrove forests, brackish swamps, and tropical dry forests/hammocks.

Range

Southern Florida, the Caribbean islands, and coastal regions of Mexico, Central America, and northern South America.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Bay-breasted CuckooCoccyzus rufigularis Black-billed CuckooCoccyzus erythropthalmus Chestnut-bellied CuckooCoccyzus pluvialis Cocos CuckooCoccyzus ferrugineus Dark-billed CuckooCoccyzus melacoryphus Gray-capped CuckooCoccyzus lansbergi Great Lizard-CuckooCoccyzus merlini Hispaniolan Lizard-CuckooCoccyzus longirostris

Heard a Mangrove Cuckoo?

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