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

Short-billed Honeycreeper

Cyanerpes nitidus

The Short-billed Honeycreeper is a small, vibrant member of the tanager family, distinguished by its brilliant indigo plumage and remarkably short, decurved bill. It is primarily a canopy-dwelling species that specializes in nectarivory and insectivory within the Amazonian rainforest.

What it sounds like

A thin, high-pitched, and slightly buzzy 'zeee' or 'tsip', occasionally delivered in a rapid, twittering sequence.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Manuel Sánchez-Nivicela · EcuadorCC BY-NC-ND Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is the smallest member of the genus Cyanerpes, typically measuring only 10 centimeters in length.
Unlike the similar Red-legged Honeycreeper, the male Short-billed Honeycreeper has bright yellow legs and a black forehead.
The species exhibits strong sexual dimorphism; males are deep blue with black masks, while females are mostly green with streaked underparts.
They are frequent participants in mixed-species foraging flocks, often found alongside other honeycreepers and dacnis.
Its bill is specialized for piercing the bases of flowers to 'steal' nectar without providing pollination services.

Habitat

Humid lowland evergreen forest canopy and terra firme forest edges.

Range

Upper Amazon Basin, including parts of Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Purple HoneycreeperCyanerpes caeruleus Red-legged HoneycreeperCyanerpes cyaneus Shining HoneycreeperCyanerpes lucidus

Heard a Short-billed Honeycreeper?

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