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

Pacific Swallow

Hirundo javanica

A small, non-migratory passerine bird characterized by glossy blue-black upperparts and a rufous forehead and throat, commonly found in coastal and open areas across Southeast Asia.

What it sounds like

A rapid, high-pitched twittering or a sharp, repetitive 'chip' or 'tswit' sound.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

No reference call found yet · Xeno-canto

Field notes

Unlike the closely related Barn Swallow, the Pacific Swallow is largely sedentary and does not engage in long-distance seasonal migrations.
It constructs a cup-shaped nest made of mud pellets and lined with feathers, often attached to vertical surfaces like cliffs or under the eaves of buildings.
The species is distinguished from the Barn Swallow by its shorter, less deeply forked tail and the absence of a dark blue breast band.
They are highly specialized aerial insectivores, frequently seen foraging low over water or open fields to catch insects in mid-air.
These birds are often observed perching in communal groups on telephone wires or bare branches near human settlements and coastal mangroves.

Habitat

Coastal cliffs, mangroves, open country, and urban areas near water bodies.

Range

Southern Asia, Southeast Asia, and various islands across the tropical South Pacific.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Angola SwallowHirundo angolensis Barn SwallowHirundo rustica Black-and-rufous SwallowHirundo nigrorufa Ethiopian SwallowHirundo aethiopica Hill SwallowHirundo domicola Montane Blue SwallowHirundo atrocaerulea Pearl-breasted SwallowHirundo dimidiata Pied-winged SwallowHirundo leucosoma

Heard a Pacific Swallow?

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