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 Swift

Apus pacificus

A large, powerful swift characterized by its deeply forked tail and prominent white rump patch. It is a master of the air, spending the vast majority of its life on the wing without landing.

What it sounds like

A high-pitched, shrill, and rapid buzzing scream, often described as 'trie-trie-trie'.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 0:31

Rec. Peter Boesman · ChinaCC BY-NC-ND Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is almost entirely aerial, possessing the ability to sleep and mate while in flight.
The species uses its own saliva as glue to cement feathers and grass into bracket-shaped nests on vertical surfaces.
Its scientific name, Apodidae, translates to 'footless,' referring to its tiny, weak legs that are only suitable for clinging to cliffs.
It is a highly migratory species, with some individuals traveling over 10,000 kilometers between breeding and wintering grounds.
During the winter in Australia, they are known to follow weather fronts to exploit the influx of insects carried by the wind.

Habitat

Coastal cliffs, mountain crags, and increasingly urban areas with tall buildings.

Range

Breeds across East Asia and Siberia; winters in Southeast Asia, Australia, and New Guinea.

Similar & commonly confused birds

African SwiftApus barbatus Bates's SwiftApus batesi Blyth's SwiftApus leuconyx Bradfield's SwiftApus bradfieldi Cape Verde SwiftApus alexandri Common SwiftApus apus Cook's SwiftApus cooki Dark-rumped SwiftApus acuticauda

Heard a Pacific Swift?

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