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

Slaty-backed Nightingale-Thrush

Catharus fuscater

A secretive, dark-plumaged thrush of highland cloud forests, distinguished by its striking orange-red bill and legs paired with a pale iris.

What it sounds like

A liquid, ethereal series of fluting whistles often interspersed with buzzy or metallic 'reer' calls.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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

Field notes

Adults possess a distinctive pale whitish or yellowish iris that contrasts sharply with their dark slaty plumage.
It is one of the few Catharus species with bright orange-red legs and a matching orange-red bill.
This species is highly terrestrial, spending most of its time hopping through dense leaf litter to find invertebrates.
There are seven recognized subspecies distributed across isolated montane regions in Central and South America.
While shy and difficult to see, it is often detected by its complex, flute-like song typical of the nightingale-thrush group.

Habitat

Dense undergrowth and floor of humid montane forest and cloud forest.

Range

Highlands from Costa Rica and Panama through the Andes to northwest Bolivia.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Bicknell's ThrushCatharus bicknelli Black-billed Nightingale-ThrushCatharus gracilirostris Black-headed Nightingale-ThrushCatharus mexicanus Gray-cheeked ThrushCatharus minimus Hermit ThrushCatharus guttatus Orange-billed Nightingale-ThrushCatharus aurantiirostris Ruddy-capped Nightingale-ThrushCatharus frantzii Russet Nightingale-ThrushCatharus occidentalis

Heard a Slaty-backed Nightingale-Thrush?

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