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-flanked Bluetail

Tarsiger cyanurus

A small, insectivorous passerine distinguished by its striking blue tail and contrasting orange-rufous flanks. It is a secretive denizen of the northern taiga, formerly classified within the thrush family.

What it sounds like

A short, melodic warbling song often described as 'wree-ur-u-wree-ur'; contact calls are a sharp 'tick-tick' and a soft, rising 'hu-it'.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 0:51

Rec. Peter Boesman · ChinaCC BY-NC-ND Xeno-canto

Field notes

Adult males take at least two years to acquire their vibrant blue plumage, remaining olive-brown like females during their first breeding season.
The species is characterized by a distinctive habit of constantly flicking its blue tail downwards while perched in the undergrowth.
Though primarily an Asian species, its breeding range has been steadily expanding westward into Finland and Norway since the 1940s.
It is a long-distance migrant, with some populations traveling over 6,000 kilometers from Siberian breeding grounds to Southeast Asian wintering sites.
Taxonomically, it belongs to the genus Tarsiger, which is closely related to nightingales and bush robins within the Old World flycatcher family.

Habitat

Damp, mature coniferous forests (taiga) with dense moss and thick understory, often near water or on slopes.

Range

Breeds across Northern Eurasia from Scandinavia to Japan; winters in Southern China, Taiwan, and Southeast Asia.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Collared Bush-RobinTarsiger johnstoniae Golden Bush-RobinTarsiger chrysaeus Himalayan BluetailTarsiger rufilatus Qilian BluetailTarsiger albocoeruleus Rufous-breasted Bush-RobinTarsiger hyperythrus Taiwan Bush-RobinTarsiger formosanus White-browed Bush-RobinTarsiger indicus

Heard a Red-flanked Bluetail?

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Identify a bird by its song