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

Spot-fronted Swift

Cypseloides cherriei

A small, elusive Neotropical swift distinguished by unique white spots on its dark plumage and a specialized affinity for montane water features.

What it sounds like

High-pitched, rapid 'tseet' or 'chip' notes, often heard during social foraging flights.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 1:03

Rec. Nunes-de-Almeida · EcuadorCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

Identified by two distinct white spots on the head: one on the lores (front of the eye) and one behind the eye.
Unlike many other swifts, this species typically lays a clutch of only one egg, indicating a slow reproductive rate.
Nests are constructed primarily of moss and mud on vertical rock faces, frequently hidden behind or near waterfalls.
It lacks the stiffened, spiny tail-feather shafts found in the more common Chaetura swifts.
The species is highly aerial and rarely seen perched, except when at the nest site in damp, shaded grottos.

Habitat

Montane evergreen forests and rocky cliffs, strictly associated with waterfalls or moist canyons for nesting.

Range

Fragmented ranges in Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, and Ecuador.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Black SwiftCypseloides niger Great Dusky SwiftCypseloides senex Rothschild's SwiftCypseloides rothschildi Rothschild's SwiftCypseloides rothschildi White-chested SwiftCypseloides lemosi White-chinned SwiftCypseloides cryptus White-fronted SwiftCypseloides storeri White-fronted SwiftCypseloides storeri

Heard a Spot-fronted Swift?

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