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

Transvolcanic Jay

Aphelocoma ultramarina

A large, social corvid endemic to the high-altitude volcanic forests of central Mexico, distinguished by its rich ultramarine plumage and cooperative social structure.

What it sounds like

Deep, nasal, and low-pitched 'whark' or 'weenk' calls, sounding more guttural than the calls of the Mexican Jay.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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

Field notes

It was formerly considered conspecific with the Mexican Jay but was split in 2011 based on distinct genetic, morphological, and vocal differences.
The species is a cooperative breeder, living in stable social groups where 'helpers' assist the alpha pair in feeding and protecting the nestlings.
Unlike many other Aphelocoma jays, it features a notably heavier, more robust bill adapted for processing tough seeds and acorns.
They are primary agents of seed dispersal in their ecosystem, often caching surplus acorns and pine seeds in the forest floor.
It is restricted to a narrow latitudinal band along the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt, rarely descending below 1,800 meters in elevation.

Habitat

High-elevation pine-oak, oyamel fir, and humid montane forests.

Range

Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt of central Mexico (from Jalisco east to Veracruz).

Similar & commonly confused birds

California Scrub-JayAphelocoma californica Florida Scrub-JayAphelocoma coerulescens Island Scrub-JayAphelocoma insularis Mexican JayAphelocoma wollweberi Unicolored JayAphelocoma unicolor Woodhouse's Scrub-JayAphelocoma woodhouseii

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