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-tailed Hawk

Buteo brachyurus

A small, specialized raptor of the Neotropics and Florida known for its distinctive high-altitude kiting and polymorphic plumage.

What it sounds like

A high-pitched, descending 'kee-ee-ee' scream, thinner and higher than that of a Red-shouldered Hawk.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Rolf A. de By · SurinameCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

Displays two distinct color morphs, dark and light, with virtually no intermediate forms observed in the wild.
Specializes in hunting small birds by kiting motionless at high altitudes before executing a vertical, falcon-like stoop.
In the United States, its breeding range is restricted almost exclusively to the peninsula of Florida.
Possesses exceptionally long wings relative to its short tail, providing high lift for hovering in thermal updrafts.
Unlike many generalist Buteos, this species rarely hunts mammals, focusing its diet on songbirds and occasionally small lizards.

Habitat

Mangrove swamps, cypress strands, and wooded edges adjacent to open country.

Range

Florida, Mexico, and Central America south to northern Argentina.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Augur BuzzardButeo augur Broad-winged HawkButeo platypterus Common BuzzardButeo buteo Eastern BuzzardButeo japonicus Ferruginous HawkButeo regalis Forest BuzzardButeo trizonatus Galapagos HawkButeo galapagoensis Gray HawkButeo plagiatus

Heard a Short-tailed Hawk?

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