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-capped Dipper

Cinclus leucocephalus

A small, specialized aquatic songbird of the Andes known for its distinctive white crown and habit of 'dipping' on rocks near rushing water.

What it sounds like

A sharp, high-pitched 'zeet' or 'peet' and a complex song of trills and whistles that cut through the sound of turbulent water.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Yair Guillermo Molina Martínez. · ColombiaCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is the only species of dipper found in South America.
To stay warm in frigid glacial melt, it possesses a high metabolic rate and dense plumage with a thick down layer.
The species exhibits a unique foraging method, walking underwater along the stream bed to find aquatic larvae.
Individuals are highly territorial, defending linear stretches of river that can extend up to a kilometer.
They have a specialized flap over their nostrils that closes when submerged to prevent water from entering the respiratory tract.

Habitat

Fast-flowing, rocky mountain streams and rivers, typically between 1,000 and 4,000 meters in elevation.

Range

The Andes Mountains, ranging from Venezuela and Colombia to northwestern Argentina.

Similar & commonly confused birds

American DipperCinclus mexicanus Brown DipperCinclus pallasii Rufous-throated DipperCinclus schulzii Rufous-throated DipperCinclus schulzii White-throated DipperCinclus cinclus

Heard a White-capped Dipper?

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