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

Prothonotary Warbler

Protonotaria citrea

The Prothonotary Warbler is a vibrant, golden-yellow songbird of deep wooded swamps, often referred to as the 'swamp candle' for its brilliant plumage.

What it sounds like

A loud, ringing, and monochromatic series of high-pitched notes, typically rendered as 'tsweet-tsweet-tsweet-tsweet'.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 2:18

Rec. Richard E. Webster · United StatesCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is one of only two North American warbler species that obligately nests in tree cavities.
The species is named after the yellow robes traditionally worn by prothonotaries, who were high-ranking clerks in the Roman Catholic Church.
Males often build multiple 'dummy' nests throughout their territory to provide the female with options and to discourage rivals.
Unlike most wood-warblers, they are frequently seen foraging just inches above standing water to catch aquatic insects.
They are a species of high conservation concern due to the rapid loss of their specialized bottomland hardwood forest habitat.

Habitat

Stagnant or slow-moving wooded swamps, flooded bottomland forests, and riverine wetlands.

Range

Breeds across the eastern and central United States; winters in the mangroves and coastal wetlands of Central and northern South America.

Heard a Prothonotary Warbler?

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