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?

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Do I need an account or internet to identify a bird?

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Birdsong field guide

Mexican Whip-poor-will

Antrostomus arizonae

The Mexican Whip-poor-will is a nocturnal nightjar of the southwestern mountains, known for its cryptic camouflage and repetitive, rhythmic namesake call.

What it sounds like

A rough, burry, and low-pitched 'whip-poor-will' that is slower and more gravelly than the call of the Eastern species.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Brendan Sloan · GuatemalaCC BY-NC-ND Xeno-canto

Field notes

It was formally split from the Eastern Whip-poor-will in 2010 based on distinct vocalizations and mitochondrial DNA differences.
The bird synchronizes its breeding cycle with the lunar cycle so that it can forage for insects more effectively under moonlight when the chicks are most demanding.
Like other nightjars, it has a 'tapetum lucidum'—a reflective layer behind the retina that causes its eyes to glow bright orange-red in artificial light.
Instead of building a nest, it lays its eggs directly on the forest floor, relying entirely on its leaf-like plumage for concealment.
It possesses long, stiff rictal bristles around its gape which may serve as tactile sensors or protection for the eyes during aerial insect capture.

Habitat

Montane pine-oak and evergreen forests, typically at elevations between 4,000 and 10,000 feet.

Range

Southwestern United States (Arizona, New Mexico, and West Texas) south through the highlands of Mexico to Honduras.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Buff-collared NightjarAntrostomus ridgwayi Chuck-will's-widowAntrostomus carolinensis Cuban NightjarAntrostomus cubanensis Dusky NightjarAntrostomus saturatus Eastern Whip-poor-willAntrostomus vociferus Hispaniolan NightjarAntrostomus ekmani Puerto Rican NightjarAntrostomus noctitherus Puerto Rican NightjarAntrostomus noctitherus

Heard a Mexican Whip-poor-will?

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