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-tipped Swift

Aeronautes montivagus

A small, agile aerial insectivore of South American highlands, characterized by its dark plumage and distinctive white patches on the rump and tail tips.

What it sounds like

A rapid, high-pitched series of dry, chattering notes and buzzing screeches.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Olivier Claessens · French GuianaCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is one of only three species in the genus Aeronautes, sharing the group's characteristic rapid and erratic flight pattern.
The white tips on its rectrices (tail feathers) are a primary diagnostic feature, though they often become worn down by contact with rocky nest sites.
It is highly gregarious, frequently foraging in large, fast-moving flocks that can exceed several hundred individuals.
The species is divided into two subspecies: the nominate A. m. montivagus in the Andes and A. m. compisitus in the tepuis.
Nesting occurs in high-altitude vertical rock fissures, where it uses saliva to glue nesting materials to the cliff face.

Habitat

Montane evergreen forests, cloud forests, and steep rocky cliffs at elevations ranging from 500 to 3,000 meters.

Range

The Andes from Venezuela to Bolivia, and the Pantepui region of southern Venezuela, Guyana, and northern Brazil.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Andean SwiftAeronautes andecolus White-throated SwiftAeronautes saxatalis

Heard a White-tipped Swift?

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