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

Pygmy Palm Swift

Tachornis furcata

The Pygmy Palm Swift is a minute, specialized aerial insectivore strictly associated with palm ecosystems in the lowlands of northern South America.

What it sounds like

A series of thin, high-pitched, rapid chattering notes and buzzy, insect-like trills.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 0:08

Rec. Iván Lau · VenezuelaCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is one of the smallest swifts in the world, typically measuring only 10 centimeters in length.
Nests are constructed by using saliva to glue feathers and plant down to the underside of hanging, dead palm fronds.
The female glues her eggs directly to the nest structure to ensure they remain secure in the vertical, wind-tossed palm leaves.
It is highly gregarious, frequently foraging in small, tight-knit flocks that move with erratic, rapid wingbeats.
The species is largely restricted to the Lake Maracaibo basin and adjacent Caribbean lowlands.

Habitat

Tropical lowland evergreen forests and open savannas with a presence of Copernicia or Mauritia palms.

Range

Northeastern Colombia and northwestern Venezuela.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Antillean Palm SwiftTachornis phoenicobia Fork-tailed Palm SwiftTachornis squamata Pygmy Palm SwiftTachornis furcata

Heard a Pygmy Palm Swift?

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