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

Stripe-headed Sparrow

Peucaea ruficauda

A large, socially complex sparrow of Middle American scrublands, easily identified by its bold black-and-white head stripes and rufous tail.

What it sounds like

A varied series of sharp 'tsip' notes followed by a dry, rhythmic, and musical warbling often performed in chorus.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Alán Palacios · MexicoCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is a cooperative breeder where offspring from previous years often assist parents in raising new broods.
The species exhibits highly social behavior, typically traveling and foraging in stable family groups of three to seven individuals.
Group members engage in synchronous 'chorus singing' to defend their territory against neighboring groups.
Its scientific name, 'ruficauda', is derived from Latin and translates to 'red-tailed,' referring to its rufous rectrices.
Nests are bulky, cup-shaped structures usually built low in thorny bushes or small trees for protection from predators.

Habitat

Arid to semi-arid brush, thorny scrub, and edges of tropical deciduous forests.

Range

Pacific slope of Middle America, ranging from western Mexico south to northwestern Costa Rica.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Bachman's SparrowPeucaea aestivalis Black-chested SparrowPeucaea humeralis Botteri's SparrowPeucaea botterii Bridled SparrowPeucaea mystacalis Cassin's SparrowPeucaea cassinii Cinnamon-tailed SparrowPeucaea sumichrasti Rufous-winged SparrowPeucaea carpalis

Heard a Stripe-headed Sparrow?

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Identify a bird by its song