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 Hummingbird

Selasphorus rufus

The Rufous Hummingbird is a small but exceptionally feisty nectar-feeder known for its brilliant copper-orange plumage and remarkable migratory endurance. It is widely regarded as one of the most aggressive hummingbird species, frequently defending territories against much larger birds.

What it sounds like

A sharp, buzzy 'chip' or 'tcheee' and a distinctive metallic whine produced by the wings during flight.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Peter Ward and Ken Hall · CanadaCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It undertakes a massive 3,900-mile migration from Alaska to Mexico, one of the longest journeys relative to body size of any bird in the world.
Males are notoriously territorial and will fearlessly dive-bomb intruders, including other hummingbirds, larger birds, and even squirrels.
They follow a circular migratory route, traveling north along the Pacific Coast in spring and returning south through the Rocky Mountains in late summer.
The species possesses an extraordinary spatial memory, allowing individuals to remember the exact location of specific flowers and feeders from previous years.
During courtship displays, males perform high-speed J-shaped dives where their tail feathers produce a distinct, metallic popping sound at the bottom of the arc.

Habitat

Coniferous forests, mountain meadows, forest edges, and nectar-rich gardens or orchards.

Range

Breeds in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska; migrates through the Western United States to winter in Mexico and the Gulf Coast.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Allen's HummingbirdSelasphorus sasin Broad-tailed HummingbirdSelasphorus platycercus Bumblebee HummingbirdSelasphorus heloisa Calliope HummingbirdSelasphorus calliope Glow-throated HummingbirdSelasphorus ardens Scintillant HummingbirdSelasphorus scintilla Volcano HummingbirdSelasphorus flammula Wine-throated HummingbirdSelasphorus ellioti

Heard a Rufous Hummingbird?

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Identify a bird by its song