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

Qilian Bluetail

Tarsiger albocoeruleus

The Qilian Bluetail is a small, high-altitude muscicapid recently recognized as a distinct species from the Red-flanked Bluetail due to unique vocalizations and genetic markers. It is identified by its vibrant blue upperparts, creamy underparts, and diagnostic orange-rufous flanks.

What it sounds like

A melodic, flute-like song composed of three to four clear whistled notes, notably slower and lower in pitch than the song of the Red-flanked Bluetail.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

No reference call found yet · Xeno-canto

Field notes

It was formally elevated to species status in 2022 after being long considered a subspecies of Tarsiger cyanurus.
Adult males feature a more extensive and brilliant blue supercilium (eyebrow) compared to their closest relatives.
Phylogenetic studies suggest it diverged from the Red-flanked Bluetail approximately 1.8 million years ago during the Pleistocene.
Unlike many other chats, it exhibits a distinct tail-flicking behavior that reveals its namesake blue rectrices.
Its breeding distribution is highly localized, restricted primarily to the high-elevation forests of north-central China.

Habitat

Subalpine coniferous forests, larch stands, and dense rhododendron thickets near the timberline.

Range

Endemic breeder to the Qilian Mountains and northeastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in Gansu and Qinghai, China.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Collared Bush-RobinTarsiger johnstoniae Golden Bush-RobinTarsiger chrysaeus Himalayan BluetailTarsiger rufilatus Red-flanked BluetailTarsiger cyanurus Rufous-breasted Bush-RobinTarsiger hyperythrus Taiwan Bush-RobinTarsiger formosanus White-browed Bush-RobinTarsiger indicus

Heard a Qilian Bluetail?

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