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-lined Tanager

Tachyphonus rufus

A medium-sized Neotropical bird famous for its extreme sexual dimorphism, where the male is glossy black and the female is entirely rufous. It is a conspicuous inhabitant of semi-open areas and garden edges across much of South and Central America.

What it sounds like

A sharp, metallic 'cheep' or 'tsip' call, and a simple, repetitive song consisting of sweet, whistled notes.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Franciel da Silva Lima · BrazilCC BY-NC-ND Xeno-canto

Field notes

The male’s namesake white underwing coverts are usually hidden at rest, flashing brilliantly only during flight or territorial displays.
Sexual dichromatism is so extreme in this species that early naturalists occasionally misidentified the male and female as two different species.
Unlike many more social tanagers, this species is less likely to join large mixed-species foraging flocks, preferring to stay in pairs or small family groups.
Its diet is highly varied, consisting of a mix of fruits, nectar from flowers, and insects gleaned from the underside of leaves.
The female alone builds the cup-shaped nest, typically hidden in low, dense vegetation just a few meters above the ground.

Habitat

Forest edges, secondary growth, clearings, and urban gardens.

Range

Central and South America, from Costa Rica to northern Argentina, including Trinidad and Tobago.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Fulvous-crested TanagerTachyphonus surinamus Red-shouldered TanagerTachyphonus phoenicius Ruby-crowned TanagerTachyphonus coronatus Tawny-crested TanagerTachyphonus delatrii

Heard a White-lined Tanager?

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