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

Parrot Crossbill

Loxia pytyopsittacus

A large, robust finch notable for its massive, parrot-like crossed mandibles designed specifically for extracting seeds from tough pine cones.

What it sounds like

A deep, resonant, and metallic 'choop-choop' or 'tyup-tyup', noticeably lower in pitch than the Common Crossbill.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Lars Edenius · SwedenCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

The species' heavy bill is an evolutionary specialization for opening the thick-scaled cones of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris).
Unlike many songbirds, they often breed in mid-winter or early spring to synchronize with peak seed availability.
Juveniles are born with straight bills, with the mandibles only beginning to cross several weeks after fledging.
They are considered an irruptive species, migrating in large numbers outside their normal range when pine crop failures occur.
The neck muscles are asymmetrical, providing the specific lateral force needed to pry open woody cone scales.

Habitat

Mature coniferous forests, primarily those dominated by Scots pine.

Range

Northern Europe including Scandinavia and the Baltic states, extending into Western Russia.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Cassia CrossbillLoxia sinesciuris Hispaniolan CrossbillLoxia megaplaga Red CrossbillLoxia curvirostra Scottish CrossbillLoxia scotica White-winged CrossbillLoxia leucoptera

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