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-throated Magpie-Jay

Cyanocorax formosus

A large, unmistakable neotropical jay characterized by its exceptionally long tail and a prominent recurved crest of feathers.

What it sounds like

An incredibly varied repertoire featuring loud, raucous 'kay' calls, liquid whistles, and complex mimicry.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

No reference call found yet · Xeno-canto

Field notes

Engages in cooperative breeding where previous offspring remain with the parents to help defend the nest and feed new chicks.
The distinctive crest is composed of several long, forward-curving feathers that can be manipulated during social displays.
Highly intelligent and social, they often form cohesive groups that collectively mob potential predators like raptors or snakes.
They are opportunistic omnivores, with a diet ranging from fruit and nectar to insects, small lizards, and the eggs of other birds.
The species is known to hybridize with the Black-throated Magpie-Jay in areas where their ranges overlap in Mexico.

Habitat

Arid woodlands, deciduous forests, gallery forests, and scrubby agricultural borders.

Range

Pacific slope of Central America, extending from southern Mexico to northwestern Costa Rica.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Azure JayCyanocorax caeruleus Azure-naped JayCyanocorax heilprini Black-chested JayCyanocorax affinis Black-throated Magpie-JayCyanocorax colliei Brown JayCyanocorax morio Bushy-crested JayCyanocorax melanocyaneus Cayenne JayCyanocorax cayanus Curl-crested JayCyanocorax cristatellus

Heard a White-throated Magpie-Jay?

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