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

Saffron Finch

Sicalis flaveola

The Saffron Finch is a vibrant, yellow-plumaged tanager common throughout South American lowlands, known for its melodic song and adaptation to human environments.

What it sounds like

A rhythmic series of melodious, repetitive whistles often ending in a dry, rapid trill.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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

Field notes

Despite its common name, taxonomic analysis places it in the tanager family (Thraupidae) rather than the true finches (Fringillidae).
It is a secondary cavity nester, frequently occupying abandoned mud nests of the Rufous Hornero or nesting in structural crevices.
Males possess a distinct, bright orange-saffron patch on the forehead which is significantly more muted or absent in females.
The species is highly gregarious outside the breeding season, often forming large foraging flocks on the ground to consume seeds and small insects.
It has been successfully introduced to non-native regions including Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and Jamaica, where it has become well-established.

Habitat

Open and semi-open lowlands, including savannas, pastures, scrubland, and urban parks.

Range

Native to South America (primarily Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil, and Argentina); introduced to Hawaii and the Caribbean.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Bright-rumped Yellow-FinchSicalis uropygialis Citron-headed Yellow-FinchSicalis luteocephala Grassland Yellow-FinchSicalis luteola Greater Yellow-FinchSicalis auriventris Greenish Yellow-FinchSicalis olivascens Monte Yellow-FinchSicalis mendozae Orange-fronted Yellow-FinchSicalis columbiana Patagonian Yellow-FinchSicalis lebruni

Heard a Saffron Finch?

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Identify a bird by its song