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

Vinous-throated Parrotbill

Suthora webbiana

A small, social passerine characterized by its warm rufous-brown plumage and a short, deep, parrot-like bill. It is frequently seen moving in energetic flocks through dense undergrowth.

What it sounds like

A high-pitched, repeated 'tsip' or 'chi-chi-chi' and a hurried, chattering warble.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

No reference call found yet · Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is a common host for the brood parasitic Oriental Cuckoo, leading to the evolution of highly varied egg colors.
Outside the breeding season, these birds are highly gregarious, forming tight-knit flocks of up to 50 individuals.
The species was named in honor of Philip Barker Webb, a 19th-century English botanist.
Its specialized stubby bill is adapted for prying open grass stems and crushing small seeds or insects.
Escaped cage birds have established self-sustaining naturalized populations in parts of Italy and the Netherlands.

Habitat

Dense scrub, bamboo thickets, reed beds, and forest edges.

Range

East Asia, including China, Korea, Taiwan, southeastern Russia, and northern Vietnam.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Ashy-throated ParrotbillSuthora alphonsiana Black-throated ParrotbillSuthora nipalensis Brown-winged ParrotbillSuthora brunnea Eye-ringed ParrotbillSuthora ricketti Fulvous ParrotbillSuthora fulvifrons Golden ParrotbillSuthora verreauxi Gray-hooded ParrotbillSuthora zappeyi Pale-billed ParrotbillSuthora atrosuperciliaris

Heard a Vinous-throated Parrotbill?

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