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

White-bellied Redstart

Luscinia phaenicuroides

A shy, high-altitude muscicapid known for its secretive behavior and the striking slaty-blue and white plumage of the male.

What it sounds like

A series of thin, high-pitched metallic whistles often ending in a sharp, dry 'tock' or rattling note.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 1:12

Rec. Peter Boesman · ChinaCC BY-NC-ND Xeno-canto

Field notes

Though named a 'Redstart,' phylogenetic studies often place it closer to shortwings (Brachypteryx) than to true Phoenicurus redstarts.
It exhibits strong sexual dimorphism; males are slaty-blue with a white belly, while females are drab olive-brown.
The species is highly elusive, typically skulking within dense rhododendron thickets or bamboo undergrowth near the forest floor.
A defining behavioral trait is the frequent cocking and fanning of its tail, which reveals distinctive chestnut-orange outer rectrices.
It is an altitudinal migrant, breeding in subalpine zones up to 4,500 meters and descending to lower foothills during the winter.

Habitat

Subalpine scrub, dense rhododendron thickets, and temperate forest undergrowth.

Range

The Himalayas (India, Nepal, Bhutan) to Southern China and Northern Southeast Asia.

Similar & commonly confused birds

BluethroatLuscinia svecica Common NightingaleLuscinia megarhynchos Thrush NightingaleLuscinia luscinia

Heard a White-bellied Redstart?

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