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

Rufous-backed Robin

Turdus rufopalliatus

A medium-sized Mexican thrush distinguished from the American Robin by its namesake rufous mantle and lack of prominent white eye-crescents.

What it sounds like

A series of clear, liquid whistles and carols similar to the American Robin but typically thinner and more high-pitched.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Manuel Grosselet · MexicoCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

While primarily endemic to western Mexico, it is a rare but regular winter visitor to the Southwestern United States.
It features a distinctive streaked white throat and a bright yellow bill, often tipped with a small dark smudge.
The species is highly frugivorous, frequently congregating in large numbers at fruiting trees such as figs.
Unlike the American Robin, its upperparts are a contrasting mix of rufous on the back and olive-gray on the wings and tail.
It builds a classic Turdus-style cup nest using mud as a binder for grass and small twigs.

Habitat

Tropical deciduous forests, gallery woodlands, thorn scrub, and suburban plantations.

Range

Western Mexico, from southern Sonora to Oaxaca, with vagrancy in Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Abyssinian ThrushTurdus abyssinicus African Bare-eyed ThrushTurdus tephronotus African ThrushTurdus pelios American RobinTurdus migratorius Andean Slaty ThrushTurdus nigriceps Austral ThrushTurdus falcklandii Bismarck Island-ThrushTurdus heinrothi Black ThrushTurdus infuscatus

Heard a Rufous-backed Robin?

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