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

Red-breasted Sapsucker

Sphyrapicus ruber

A medium-sized woodpecker of the Pacific Coast easily identified by its vibrant crimson head, neck, and breast.

What it sounds like

A low, nasal, downslurred 'mewing' call; drumming is an irregular, staccato series of taps.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Bobby Wilcox · United StatesCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

Drills organized horizontal rows of shallow 'sap wells' to consume tree sap and the insects attracted to it.
Possesses a specialized tongue with brush-like bristles at the tip designed for lapping up liquid sap rather than spearing grubs.
Acts as a keystone species, providing a vital food source for Rufous Hummingbirds that follow the sapsucker to its wells.
Frequently hybridizes with Red-naped and Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers in narrow zones where their geographic ranges overlap.
Its territorial drumming is distinctively irregular, characterized by a rapid burst followed by several slow, rhythmic taps.

Habitat

Coniferous and mixed-evergreen forests, often near streams, as well as orchards and urban parks.

Range

West Coast of North America, ranging from southeast Alaska south to northern Baja California.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Red-naped SapsuckerSphyrapicus nuchalis Williamson's SapsuckerSphyrapicus thyroideus Yellow-bellied SapsuckerSphyrapicus varius

Heard a Red-breasted Sapsucker?

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