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-headed Woodpecker

Melanerpes erythrocephalus

A strikingly patterned North American woodpecker characterized by its entirely crimson head, snow-white underparts, and bold black-and-white wings.

What it sounds like

A loud, raspy, descending 'kwirr' or 'chur-chur' and a sharp, high-pitched 'krrit' rattle.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Rory Nefdt · United StatesCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is one of only four woodpecker species in the world known to cache food, often sealing insects and nuts into bark crevices with wood chips.
Unlike most woodpeckers that forage on trunks, this species frequently hunts insects mid-air in a flycatcher-like fashion.
Adults are sexually monomorphic, meaning males and females possess identical plumage, which is rare among North American woodpeckers.
The species is highly territorial and has been known to remove the eggs of other birds from nesting cavities.
Historically nicknamed the 'patriotic bird' due to its red, white, and blue-black color scheme resembling the American flag.

Habitat

Open deciduous woodlands, oak savannas, orchards, and groves containing large standing dead trees (snags).

Range

Eastern and Central North America, ranging from the Rocky Mountains to the Atlantic coast and southern Canada.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Acorn WoodpeckerMelanerpes formicivorus Beautiful WoodpeckerMelanerpes pulcher Black-cheeked WoodpeckerMelanerpes pucherani Gila WoodpeckerMelanerpes uropygialis Golden-cheeked WoodpeckerMelanerpes chrysogenys Golden-fronted WoodpeckerMelanerpes aurifrons Golden-naped WoodpeckerMelanerpes chrysauchen Gray-breasted WoodpeckerMelanerpes hypopolius

Heard a Red-headed Woodpecker?

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