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

Pileated Woodpecker

Dryocopus pileatus

The Pileated Woodpecker is North America's largest extant woodpecker, characterized by its crow-sized black body and iconic flaming red crest. It acts as a keystone species by excavating large cavities that provide essential habitat for many other forest creatures.

What it sounds like

A loud, wild, and ringing series of 'kuk-kuk-kuk' notes, similar to a Northern Flicker but deeper and more resonant.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Sue Riffe · United StatesCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

They create distinctive, deep rectangular holes in trees while foraging, which are unique among North American woodpeckers.
Carpenter ants constitute up to 60% of their diet, which they extract using long, barbed tongues coated in sticky saliva.
Their powerful drumming can be heard from nearly a mile away and is used to establish territories and attract mates.
To prevent brain injury during high-impact drilling, their hyoid bone wraps entirely around the skull to act as a shock absorber.
While they typically excavate a new nesting cavity each year, these abandoned holes become vital homes for wood ducks, owls, and swifts.

Habitat

Mature deciduous or coniferous forests with high densities of large-diameter standing dead trees (snags).

Range

Across the eastern United States, the Great Lakes, the Pacific Northwest, and the boreal forests of Canada.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Andaman WoodpeckerDryocopus hodgei Black WoodpeckerDryocopus martius Black-bodied WoodpeckerDryocopus schulzii Lineated WoodpeckerDryocopus lineatus White-bellied WoodpeckerDryocopus javensis

Heard a Pileated Woodpecker?

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