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-capped Cardinal

Paroaria gularis

A striking lowland tanager easily identified by its vibrant crimson head, stark white underparts, and contrasting black upperparts.

What it sounds like

A series of clear, rhythmic, and liquid whistles, typically rendered as 'su-wheat, su-wheat' or 'tchew-tchew'.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 0:18

Rec. JAYRSON ARAUJO DE OLIVEIRA · BrazilCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

Taxonomically, it is a member of the tanager family (Thraupidae) rather than the true cardinal family (Cardinalidae).
Unlike many of its relatives in the genus Paroaria, this species lacks a prominent head crest.
Juveniles display a dull brownish or buff-colored head, which only transitions to the signature red after their first molt.
It is highly associated with water, frequently seen foraging on the ground or in low vegetation at the very edge of rivers.
The species features a distinctive black patch around the eye and a pointed black bib that contrasts sharply with the red face.

Habitat

Freshwater margins including swamps, mangroves, flooded forests (várzea), and the edges of oxbow lakes.

Range

The Amazon Basin and the Guianas of South America.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Crimson-fronted CardinalParoaria baeri Masked CardinalParoaria nigrogenis Red-cowled CardinalParoaria dominicana Red-crested CardinalParoaria coronata Yellow-billed CardinalParoaria capitata

Heard a Red-capped Cardinal?

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Identify a bird by its song