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 Swift

Chaetura brachyura

A small, dark aerial insectivore characterized by its extremely reduced tail and rapid, jerky flight. It is a highly social species often seen in chattering flocks across tropical South American landscapes.

What it sounds like

A rapid, dry series of high-pitched, descending twittering or clicking notes.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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

Field notes

The tail is so short that the bird frequently appears almost tailless in flight, enhancing its 'cigar with wings' silhouette.
It possesses specialized stiffened tail-feather shafts (rachides) that act as a prop when clinging to vertical roosting surfaces.
While traditionally nesting in hollow trees, it has adapted to man-made structures such as chimneys, culverts, and deep wells.
It feeds exclusively on the wing, consuming vast quantities of 'aerial plankton' including flying ants, termites, and small beetles.
During social displays, individuals may engage in synchronized 'V-ing,' where wings are held in a steep dihedral while gliding.

Habitat

Open country, light woodland, second-growth forest, savannas, and urban areas.

Range

Panama and the Lesser Antilles south through Trinidad to Brazil and northern Argentina.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Ashy-tailed SwiftChaetura andrei Band-rumped SwiftChaetura spinicaudus Chapman's SwiftChaetura chapmani Chimney SwiftChaetura pelagica Costa Rican SwiftChaetura fumosa Gray-rumped SwiftChaetura cinereiventris Lesser Antillean SwiftChaetura martinica Pale-rumped SwiftChaetura egregia

Heard a Short-tailed Swift?

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