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-chinned Swift

Cypseloides cryptus

A large, dark, and elusive swift known for its specialized nesting habits near falling water and its subtle, often invisible white chin patch.

What it sounds like

A rapid series of high-pitched, sharp 'tsit' or 'pip' notes, often merging into a dry chatter.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Otte Ottema · SurinameCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is highly specialized for nesting on vertical rock faces or ledges located directly behind or adjacent to waterfalls.
The specific epithet 'cryptus' reflects its secretive nature and the significant difficulty in locating its well-hidden nesting sites.
The nest is a simple, damp cup constructed primarily from mosses, liverworts, and mud, without the use of saliva as a glue.
It typically exhibits a very low reproductive rate, usually laying a clutch of only one single egg per breeding season.
The white feathers on the chin that give the bird its name are frequently obscured by dark feather tips, making them difficult to see in flight.

Habitat

Humid montane forests, deep canyons, and rocky cliffs associated with cataracts or permanent waterfalls.

Range

Discontinuous range across Central and South America, including southern Mexico, Costa Rica, Colombia, and Venezuela.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Black SwiftCypseloides niger Great Dusky SwiftCypseloides senex Rothschild's SwiftCypseloides rothschildi Rothschild's SwiftCypseloides rothschildi Spot-fronted SwiftCypseloides cherriei White-chested SwiftCypseloides lemosi White-fronted SwiftCypseloides storeri White-fronted SwiftCypseloides storeri

Heard a White-chinned Swift?

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