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

Scarlet-rumped Tanager

Ramphocelus passerinii

A striking Neotropical songbird characterized by the intense contrast between the male's velvety black plumage and its brilliant, glowing scarlet lower back.

What it sounds like

A repetitive, scratchy series of rhythmic chirps and a sharp, nasal 'wheet' or 'chack' note.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 0:57

Rec. Scott Olmstead · Costa RicaCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

Displays extreme sexual dimorphism: males are jet black and red, while females are olive-brown with an ochre-colored rump.
Previously grouped with the Pacific-slope Cherrie's Tanager; the two are now recognized as distinct species based on mitochondrial DNA.
Commonly follows army ant swarms to snatch insects and spiders flushed out by the moving colony.
The brilliant red rump of the male is used in 'rump-display' posturing to signal dominance or attract mates.
Constructs a cup-shaped nest from plant fibers and leaves, usually hidden within dense shrubbery low to the ground.

Habitat

Humid lowland edges, second-growth forests, semi-open shrublands, and rural gardens.

Range

Caribbean slope of Central America, ranging from southern Mexico to western Panama.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Black-bellied TanagerRamphocelus melanogaster Brazilian TanagerRamphocelus bresilius Crimson-backed TanagerRamphocelus dimidiatus Crimson-collared TanagerRamphocelus sanguinolentus Flame-rumped TanagerRamphocelus flammigerus Masked Crimson TanagerRamphocelus nigrogularis Silver-beaked TanagerRamphocelus carbo

Heard a Scarlet-rumped Tanager?

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