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-tailed Hummingbird

Amazilia tzacatl

A medium-sized, highly territorial Neotropical hummingbird easily identified by its iridescent green plumage and contrasting rufous-copper tail. It is a common and dominant presence in gardens and forest edges across its range.

What it sounds like

A sharp, repetitive 'tseck' or 'tshick' note, often given in a rapid, chattering series during territorial disputes.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 1:19

Rec. Paul Driver · Costa RicaCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

This species is notoriously aggressive, frequently chasing away larger hummingbirds and even butterflies from preferred nectar sources.
It possesses a distinctive pinkish-red bill with a dark tip, a key field mark distinguishing it from the similar Gilded Hummingbird.
The Rufous-tailed Hummingbird is highly adaptable and thrives in human-altered environments like coffee plantations and urban parks.
Its nest is a compact cup made of plant fibers and spider silk, often decorated with lichen to blend into the surrounding foliage.
It is a primary pollinator for Heliconia flowers, using its slightly decurved bill to reach nectar in tubular blossoms.

Habitat

Open woodlands, gardens, second-growth scrub, and agricultural edges.

Range

East-central Mexico through Central America to western Colombia, Ecuador, and northwest Venezuela.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Buff-bellied HummingbirdAmazilia yucatanensis Cinnamon HummingbirdAmazilia rutila Honduran EmeraldAmazilia luciae

Heard a Rufous-tailed Hummingbird?

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