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

Orange-billed Nightingale-Thrush

Catharus aurantiirostris

A secretive, ground-dwelling thrush of the neotropics, distinguished by its striking orange bill, legs, and eye-ring. It is a member of the genus Catharus, renowned for their complex and ethereal vocalizations.

What it sounds like

A series of clear, rich, flute-like whistles and warbles, often described as faster and more repetitive than the song of the Hermit Thrush.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Omar Suárez García · MexicoCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

Unlike most of its northern relatives in the genus Catharus, this species is largely non-migratory throughout its range.
It possesses a distinct orange-red eye-ring that perfectly matches the hue of its namesake bill.
The species is highly polytypic, with approximately 14 recognized subspecies showing variation in plumage from olive-brown to slate-gray.
It primarily forages on the forest floor, using its bill to flick aside leaf litter in search of insects, spiders, and small fruits.
While shy and difficult to see, it frequently inhabits anthropogenic habitats like shaded coffee plantations and suburban gardens near forest edges.

Habitat

Humid montane forests, cloud forests, dense secondary growth, and scrubby woodland edges.

Range

Highlands of Mexico and Central America through northern Colombia, Venezuela, and the island of Trinidad.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Bicknell's ThrushCatharus bicknelli Black-billed Nightingale-ThrushCatharus gracilirostris Black-headed Nightingale-ThrushCatharus mexicanus Gray-cheeked ThrushCatharus minimus Hermit ThrushCatharus guttatus Ruddy-capped Nightingale-ThrushCatharus frantzii Russet Nightingale-ThrushCatharus occidentalis Slaty-backed Nightingale-ThrushCatharus fuscater

Heard a Orange-billed Nightingale-Thrush?

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