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

Tepui Swift

Streptoprocne phelpsi

A large, powerful aerialist distinguished by its striking rufous collar, endemic to the dramatic sandstone mesas of the Guiana Highlands.

What it sounds like

A series of rapid, high-pitched chattering notes and dry, scratchy 'chi-chi-chi' calls.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Joe Klaiber · VenezuelaCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is one of the few swifts to feature a complete orange-chestnut collar extending from the throat to the hindneck.
Nests are typically constructed on vertical rock faces or ledges, often in the spray zone of waterfalls.
The species was named in honor of William H. Phelps, a prominent ornithologist who documented the birds of Venezuela.
Unlike many smaller swifts, it has a notably robust build and a slightly forked tail that is often held closed in flight.
It is a highly social feeder, frequently seen in large, fast-moving flocks hunting insects high above the forest canopy.

Habitat

Humid montane forests, steep escarpments, and sheer cliffs near tepui summits.

Range

Pantepui region of southern Venezuela, western Guyana, and northern Brazil.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Biscutate SwiftStreptoprocne biscutata Chestnut-collared SwiftStreptoprocne rutila White-collared SwiftStreptoprocne zonaris White-naped SwiftStreptoprocne semicollaris White-naped SwiftStreptoprocne semicollaris

Heard a Tepui Swift?

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