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

Silver-backed Needletail

Hirundapus cochinchinensis

A large, powerful swift characterized by its exceptional aerial speed and a distinctive silver-grey patch on its back. It is a highly specialized aerial insectivore that spends the vast majority of its life on the wing.

What it sounds like

A series of rapid, high-pitched metallic clicking sounds or sharp, chattering notes.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Jelle Scharringa · TaiwanCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It features stiff, needle-like protrusions at the end of its tail feathers which provide stability when roosting on vertical surfaces.
The species is capable of reaching extremely high speeds in level flight, making it one of the fastest flyers in the avian world.
It displays a prominent white horseshoe-shaped mark on its undertail coverts that contrasts sharply with its dark plumage.
Like other members of the Hirundapus genus, it is known to drink by skimming the surface of water bodies while in full flight.
It is primarily a resident or short-distance migrant across Southeast Asia, unlike the more migratory White-throated Needletail.

Habitat

Lowland and montane evergreen forests, often found foraging over ridges or large rivers.

Range

Southeast Asia, including Indochina, the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, and parts of southern China.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Brown-backed NeedletailHirundapus giganteus Purple NeedletailHirundapus celebensis White-throated NeedletailHirundapus caudacutus

Heard a Silver-backed Needletail?

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