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-sided Crake

Laterallus melanophaius

The Rufous-sided Crake is a small, secretive rail characterized by its warm rufous flanks and contrasting white throat. It is an elusive inhabitant of Neotropical wetlands, far more frequently heard than seen.

What it sounds like

A high-pitched, descending musical trill or whinny, often lasting several seconds and sometimes preceded by sharp 'kek' notes.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 0:23

Rec. JAYRSON ARAUJO DE OLIVEIRA · BrazilCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It possesses a laterally compressed body, an adaptation that allows it to move rapidly through dense, tangled marsh vegetation.
The species is primarily crepuscular, with peak activity occurring during the low-light hours of dawn and dusk.
It constructs a distinctive globular nest made of woven grasses and leaves, often featuring a side entrance.
Both parents participate in the incubation of eggs and the rearing of the precocial, black-downed chicks.
While it feeds mainly on aquatic insects and seeds, it is highly opportunistic and will occasionally take small mollusks.

Habitat

Freshwater marshes, swamps, wet grasslands, and the densely vegetated edges of lagoons and rivers.

Range

Widespread throughout South America, ranging from Colombia and Venezuela south to northern Argentina and Uruguay.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Black RailLaterallus jamaicensis Dot-winged CrakeLaterallus spiloptera Galapagos RailLaterallus spilonota Gray-breasted CrakeLaterallus exilis Inaccessible Island RailLaterallus rogersi Ruddy CrakeLaterallus ruber Rusty-flanked CrakeLaterallus levraudi Rusty-flanked CrakeLaterallus levraudi

Heard a Rufous-sided Crake?

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