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

Snow Mountain Quail

Synoicus monorthonyx

The Snow Mountain Quail is a large, stocky ground-dwelling bird endemic to the highest alpine reaches of New Guinea's central mountain ranges.

What it sounds like

A series of high-pitched, piping whistles or sharp, repeated 'queet-queet' notes.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Bas van Balen · IndonesiaCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It holds the record for the highest elevational range of any bird in New Guinea, living up to 4,500 meters above sea level.
Unlike many galliforms, the female is larger and more heavily marked with dark barring than the male.
The species possesses uniquely long, straight claws which are thought to be an adaptation for foraging in mossy, alpine turf.
Genetic studies suggest it is closely related to the much smaller King Quail despite its Partridge-like appearance.
Its nest is a simple scrape on the ground, often hidden beneath overhanging tussocks of alpine grass.

Habitat

Alpine and subalpine grasslands, heathlands, and rocky tundra above the treeline.

Range

Snow Mountains (Sudirman Range) and Star Mountains of Western New Guinea, Indonesia.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Blue QuailSynoicus adansonii Blue-breasted QuailSynoicus chinensis Brown QuailSynoicus ypsilophorus

Heard a Snow Mountain Quail?

Open Birdsong, tap record, and identify the bird singing near you in seconds — then collect it in your field journal.

Identify a bird by its song