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

Pinyon Jay

Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus

A highly social, crestless blue corvid of the American West, inextricably linked to the lifecycle of pinyon pine trees.

What it sounds like

High-pitched, nasal 'ca-wack' or rhythmic 'queh-heh-heh' vocalizations, often heard as a loud chorus.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 1:56

Rec. Andrew Sharp · United StatesCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

Possesses an expandable esophagus that allows an individual to carry up to 40 pinyon seeds at once.
Operates in massive, permanent social flocks with complex hierarchies that can exceed 500 individuals.
Functions as a keystone species by caching thousands of seeds annually, many of which germinate into new pine stands.
Lacks the frontal crest found in most other North American jays, giving it a sleek, crow-like profile.
Exhibits opportunistic and nomadic breeding patterns tied directly to the success of local pine nut mast crops.

Habitat

Pinyon-juniper woodlands, sagebrush, and scrub oak forests.

Range

Interior Western United States, primarily throughout the Great Basin and Colorado Plateau.

Heard a Pinyon Jay?

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