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

Plain Chachalaca

Ortalis vetula

A large, chicken-like bird of the Cracid family, notable for its social behavior and its loud, rhythmic morning choruses in dense subtropical brush.

What it sounds like

A loud, raucous, three-syllable 'cha-cha-lac' or 'raw-paw-paw' repeated in a rhythmic, chaotic chorus.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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

Field notes

It is the only member of the family Cracidae (guans, curassows, and chachalacas) whose range extends into the United States.
The species is highly arboreal, spending much of its time leaping and running through tree canopies rather than flying.
Groups engage in 'antiphonal calling,' where pairs or clusters synchronize their voices to create a seamless, deafening loop of sound.
They possess a long, fan-like tail with distinct pale tips, which they use for balance while navigating thin branches.
Despite being hunted in parts of its range, the species has adapted well to human-modified landscapes and urban thickets.

Habitat

Dense brushlands, riverine thickets, subtropical woodlands, and overgrown gardens.

Range

The Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas south through eastern Mexico to the Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Buff-browed ChachalacaOrtalis superciliaris Chaco ChachalacaOrtalis canicollis Chestnut-headed ChachalacaOrtalis ruficeps Chestnut-winged ChachalacaOrtalis garrula Colombian ChachalacaOrtalis columbiana East Brazilian ChachalacaOrtalis araucuan Gray-headed ChachalacaOrtalis cinereiceps Rufous-bellied ChachalacaOrtalis wagleri

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