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

Olive Sparrow

Arremonops rufivirgatus

The Olive Sparrow is a secretive, olive-plumaged bird of dense subtropical thickets, recognized by its dull green back and bold brown head stripes. It is the only member of its primarily tropical genus to reach the United States.

What it sounds like

An accelerating series of sharp 'chip' notes that speed up into a rapid, rhythmic trill.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Étienne Leroy · MexicoCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

Its unique song is often described as resembling a ping-pong ball bouncing progressively faster on a table.
Unlike many North American sparrows, it builds a bulky, domed nest with a side entrance rather than an open cup.
It is a non-migratory species, typically remaining on the same territory with a mate year-round.
Taxonomically, it is more closely related to the tropical brush-finches of Central and South America than to common yard sparrows.
While it mostly forages on the ground for insects and seeds, it remains remarkably well-hidden in dense 'thorn-scrub' vegetation.

Habitat

Dense thorny thickets, chaparral, and brushy woodland undergrowth.

Range

Southern Texas through Mexico to Costa Rica.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Black-striped SparrowArremonops conirostris Green-backed SparrowArremonops chloronotus Tocuyo SparrowArremonops tocuyensis

Heard a Olive Sparrow?

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