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

Pyrrhuloxia

Cardinalis sinuatus

The Pyrrhuloxia, often called the Desert Cardinal, is a medium-sized songbird distinguished by its elegant gray plumage, red accents, and a uniquely curved, parrot-like bill.

What it sounds like

A series of thin, slurred whistles resembling 'quink-quink-quink' and a sharp, metallic 'cheek' call note.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 1:04

Rec. Scott Olmstead · United StatesCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

Its name is derived from Greek roots meaning 'fire-colored' and 'crooked-billed,' referring to its plumage and beak shape.
The stout, rounded yellow beak is an evolutionary adaptation specifically designed for cracking tough desert seeds and mesquite beans.
While highly territorial during the breeding season, they transition into social foragers during winter, sometimes forming flocks of over 1,000 individuals.
They are closely related to the Northern Cardinal and have been known to occasionally interbreed in areas where their ranges overlap.
To survive in arid environments, they can meet their hydration needs entirely through the consumption of insects and succulent fruits.

Habitat

Arid desert scrub, mesquite thickets, and thorny brushlands.

Range

Southwestern United States (Arizona, New Mexico, Texas) and Northern to Central Mexico.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Northern CardinalCardinalis cardinalis Vermilion CardinalCardinalis phoeniceus

Heard a Pyrrhuloxia?

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