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

Nicaraguan Grackle

Quiscalus nicaraguensis

A slender, long-tailed icterid endemic to the freshwater basins of Nicaragua and northern Costa Rica, characterized by pronounced sexual dimorphism.

What it sounds like

A varied series of mechanical whistles, harsh metallic 'tack' notes, and rising squeaks.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 1:20

Rec. Andrew Spencer · Costa RicaCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is the only bird species strictly endemic to the drainage basins of Lake Nicaragua and Lake Managua.
Males exhibit a deep violet-blue iridescence on black plumage, while females are significantly smaller and primarily dull brown.
The species is highly social and typically nests in small colonies located in emergent marsh vegetation like bullrushes.
Their diet is opportunistic and omnivorous, including aquatic invertebrates, seeds, and scraps from human settlements.
Recent range expansions have been noted into northern Costa Rica due to the conversion of forests into cattle pastures and rice fields.

Habitat

Freshwater marshes, lake margins, and seasonally flooded grasslands.

Range

Western Nicaragua and extreme northern Costa Rica.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Boat-tailed GrackleQuiscalus major Carib GrackleQuiscalus lugubris Common GrackleQuiscalus quiscula Great-tailed GrackleQuiscalus mexicanus Greater Antillean GrackleQuiscalus niger Slender-billed GrackleQuiscalus palustris

Heard a Nicaraguan Grackle?

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Identify a bird by its song