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

Violet Cuckoo

Chrysococcyx xanthorhynchus

A small, brilliantly iridescent brood parasite of the Asian tropics, notable for the male's vibrant metallic violet plumage and piercing orange bill.

What it sounds like

A high-pitched, accelerating series of 'ti-ti-ti-ti' whistles, often descending slightly in pitch toward the end.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 0:21

Rec. Lim Ying Hien · IndiaCC BY-NC-ND Xeno-canto

Field notes

Males display stunning iridescent violet-purple upperparts, while females are bronze-green with heavy barring on the underparts.
They are obligate brood parasites, commonly targeting the nests of sunbirds, spiderhunters, and ioras.
Their diet is specialized towards lepidopteran larvae, specifically favoring hairy caterpillars found in the forest canopy.
The species exhibits significant sexual dimorphism, a trait common among many members of the genus Chrysococcyx.
Juveniles possess distinct rufous and greenish-brown barred plumage, lacking the vibrant iridescence of mature adults.

Habitat

Lowland tropical evergreen forests, mangroves, forest edges, and occasionally well-wooded gardens.

Range

Southeast Asia, extending from Northeast India and Bangladesh through the Malay Peninsula to Sumatra, Borneo, and the Philippines.

Similar & commonly confused birds

African Emerald CuckooChrysococcyx cupreus Asian Emerald CuckooChrysococcyx maculatus Dideric CuckooChrysococcyx caprius Klaas's CuckooChrysococcyx klaas Yellow-throated CuckooChrysococcyx flavigularis

Heard a Violet Cuckoo?

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