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

Pale-rumped Swift

Chaetura egregia

The Pale-rumped Swift is a small, specialized aerial insectivore of the Amazonian lowlands, distinguished by its rapid flight and contrasting pale rump patch.

What it sounds like

A rapid, high-pitched sequence of 'tse-tse-tse' twittering notes and sharp chips.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / --:--

Rec. Jacob Wijpkema · BoliviaCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It was historically considered a subspecies of the Lesser Antillean Swift (Chaetura martinica) before being recognized as a distinct species.
The species possesses pamprodactyl feet, an adaptation allowing all four toes to point forward for clinging to vertical surfaces inside hollow trees.
It is frequently observed foraging in large, fast-moving mixed-species flocks alongside other Chaetura swifts.
Nests are small half-cups made of twigs glued to the inner walls of hollow trees using the bird's own adhesive saliva.
The species is almost entirely restricted to lowland elevations, typically occurring below 800 meters above sea level.

Habitat

Tropical moist lowland forests, secondary growth, and riverine corridors.

Range

Western and central Amazon basin, including parts of Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, and Peru.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Ashy-tailed SwiftChaetura andrei Band-rumped SwiftChaetura spinicaudus Chapman's SwiftChaetura chapmani Chimney SwiftChaetura pelagica Costa Rican SwiftChaetura fumosa Gray-rumped SwiftChaetura cinereiventris Lesser Antillean SwiftChaetura martinica Short-tailed SwiftChaetura brachyura

Heard a Pale-rumped 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