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

Omao

Myadestes obscurus

The Omao is a medium-sized Hawaiian thrush endemic to the Big Island, characterized by its inconspicuous gray-brown plumage and complex vocalizations. It is the most abundant of the surviving native Hawaiian thrushes and plays a crucial role in forest seed dispersal.

What it sounds like

A complex, jerky series of flute-like whistles, liquid warbles, and buzzy notes with a ventriloquial quality.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Viral joshi · United StatesCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is a primary seed disperser for native plants, feeding heavily on the fruits of the 'ōlapa and pilo trees.
The species exhibits a unique wing-quivering behavior while perched, often seen during social displays or vocalizing.
Unlike many other native Hawaiian birds, the Omao shows a degree of resistance to avian malaria, allowing it to persist in some lower-elevation habitats.
It is closely related to the Townsend’s Solitaire, representing a colonization event from North America by the Myadestes genus.
The Omao is currently the only native thrush species on the Big Island following the extinction of its relative, the Kamao, on Kauai.

Habitat

Montane rainforests and high-elevation mesic forests, particularly those dominated by 'ōhi'a and koa trees.

Range

Endemic to the island of Hawai'i.

Similar & commonly confused birds

AmauiMyadestes woahensis Andean SolitaireMyadestes ralloides Black-faced SolitaireMyadestes melanops Brown-backed SolitaireMyadestes occidentalis Cuban SolitaireMyadestes elisabeth KamaoMyadestes myadestinus OlomaoMyadestes lanaiensis PuaiohiMyadestes palmeri

Heard a Omao?

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