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

Russet-backed Oropendola

Psarocolius angustifrons

A large, social icterid of South American forests known for its chestnut plumage, yellow outer rectrices, and remarkable pendulous nests.

What it sounds like

A complex series of liquid gurgles and 'gluck' sounds followed by a dry, crashing wheeze.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Marco Andrés Urvina Alejandro · EcuadorCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

Males are significantly larger than females, often weighing nearly twice as much as their mates.
They construct intricately woven, hanging nests that can reach lengths of over one meter.
Colonies are frequently established near the nests of aggressive social wasps to protect nestlings from parasitic botflies.
During courtship, males perform a dramatic physical display, bowing forward until they are almost inverted while vocalizing.
Bill color is highly variable between subspecies, ranging from pale ivory and yellow to dark olive-black.

Habitat

Humid lowland forest edges, montane forests, and secondary growth.

Range

The Andes and Amazon basin across Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Baudo OropendolaPsarocolius cassini Black OropendolaPsarocolius guatimozinus Chestnut-headed OropendolaPsarocolius wagleri Crested OropendolaPsarocolius decumanus Dusky-green OropendolaPsarocolius atrovirens Green OropendolaPsarocolius viridis Montezuma OropendolaPsarocolius montezuma Olive OropendolaPsarocolius bifasciatus

Heard a Russet-backed Oropendola?

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