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

Veery

Catharus fuscescens

The Veery is a small, tawny-brown thrush of the genus Catharus, renowned for its ethereal, flute-like song and preference for damp, deciduous understories. It is a long-distance migrant that bridges the forests of North America with the river basins of South America.

What it sounds like

A haunting, downward-spiraling series of ethereal, metallic notes often transcribed as 'vee-ur, vee-ur, veer, veer'.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 0:38

Rec. Paul Driver · United StatesCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

Research suggests Veeries can predict the intensity of the upcoming hurricane season, ending their breeding season early in years with high tropical storm activity.
The Veery possesses a bifurcated syrinx, allowing it to produce two different notes simultaneously to create its signature harmonic, spiraling song.
Unlike the heavily spotted Wood Thrush, the Veery has a relatively uniform cinnamon-colored back and very faint, indistinct spotting on its breast.
They are primarily ground-foragers that use their bills to flip over leaf litter in search of beetles, ants, and other invertebrates.
During migration, Veeries are known to fly at high altitudes, sometimes exceeding 2,000 meters, to cross large geographical barriers like the Gulf of Mexico.

Habitat

Moist deciduous forests, riparian woodlands, and swampy thickets with a dense shrub layer.

Range

Breeds across southern Canada and the northern United States; winters primarily in the Amazon basin and southern Brazil.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Bicknell's ThrushCatharus bicknelli Black-billed Nightingale-ThrushCatharus gracilirostris Black-headed Nightingale-ThrushCatharus mexicanus Gray-cheeked ThrushCatharus minimus Hermit ThrushCatharus guttatus Orange-billed Nightingale-ThrushCatharus aurantiirostris Ruddy-capped Nightingale-ThrushCatharus frantzii Russet Nightingale-ThrushCatharus occidentalis

Heard a Veery?

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