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-thighed Kite

Harpagus diodon

A small Neotropical raptor distinguished by its slate-grey upperparts and contrasting rufous-colored thighs.

What it sounds like

A thin, high-pitched series of rapid whistling notes, often described as 'tsee-tsee-tsee-tsee'.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 0:09

Rec. Alexandre Bianco · BrazilCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It frequently engages in commensal hunting by following monkey troops to capture insects they flush.
The species possesses two distinct tomial teeth on the upper mandible, a hallmark of the genus Harpagus.
It is believed to be an aggressive mimic of the Bicolored Hawk, potentially to deceive prey or avoid mobbing.
The kite is a partial austral migrant, moving from southern Brazil and Argentina toward the Amazon during winter.
Its diet is highly specialized toward large insects, particularly cicadas and orthopterans, supplemented by small lizards.

Habitat

Lowland humid forests and mature secondary woodland.

Range

South America, primarily the Amazon Basin and the Atlantic Forest of Brazil, Paraguay, and northern Argentina.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Double-toothed KiteHarpagus bidentatus Rufous-thighed KiteHarpagus diodon

Heard a Rufous-thighed Kite?

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