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-bellied Woodpecker

Dendrocopos hyperythrus

A medium-sized, striking woodpecker unique for its deep rufous-chestnut underparts and specialized sap-feeding behavior. It is the only member of its genus known to regularly create sap wells similar to North American sapsuckers.

What it sounds like

A sharp, high-pitched 'pink' or 'tsit' note, accompanied by a rapid, short drum that lasts about one second.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 0:41

Rec. Lars Lachmann · IndiaCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is a specialized sap-sucker that drills neat, horizontal rows of small pits in tree bark to harvest sap and cambium.
The species is sexually dimorphic: males possess a vibrant red crown and nape, whereas females have a black crown heavily spotted with white.
Unlike many sedentary woodpecker species, northern populations in Russia and China are migratory, moving south to Southeast Asia for the winter.
Its tongue is shorter than that of many other woodpeckers and features a brush-like tip adapted for lapping up liquid sap.
It plays a vital ecological role as its sap wells provide a food source for various insects and small nectar-feeding birds.

Habitat

Broadleaf, coniferous, and mixed montane forests, frequently found in oak, rhododendron, and pine stands.

Range

The Himalayas, through southern China and Southeast Asia, reaching as far north as Eastern Russia and Korea.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Darjeeling WoodpeckerDendrocopos darjellensis Freckle-breasted WoodpeckerDendrocopos analis Fulvous-breasted WoodpeckerDendrocopos macei Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major Himalayan WoodpeckerDendrocopos himalayensis Okinawa WoodpeckerDendrocopos noguchii Sind WoodpeckerDendrocopos assimilis Sind WoodpeckerDendrocopos assimilis

Heard a Rufous-bellied 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