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

Yellow-bellied Flycatcher

Empidonax flaviventris

A small, olive-colored songbird of the boreal forest, the Yellow-bellied Flycatcher is the most yellow-toned of the North American Empidonax species. It is uniquely distinguished from its relatives by its yellow throat and its preference for nesting on or near the ground in mossy habitats.

What it sounds like

A sharp, ascending 'chu-wee' and a dry, sneezing 'killink' song.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Peter Boesman · GuatemalaCC BY-NC-ND Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is the only Empidonax flycatcher in eastern North America that typically possesses a yellow throat, rather than white or gray.
Unique among its genus, it frequently constructs its mossy cup nest on the ground, often tucked into sphagnum moss or low banks.
It is one of the latest wood-warbler-sized migrants to arrive on breeding grounds, often delayed until late May or early June.
The species is highly specialized to boreal peatlands and moist coniferous forests during the breeding season.
Unlike many other flycatchers that prefer open edges, this species often forages in the dark, shaded understory of dense thickets.

Habitat

Boreal forests, sphagnum bogs, and moist coniferous woods with thick undergrowth.

Range

Breeds across Canada and the northern United States; winters in Mexico and Central America.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Acadian FlycatcherEmpidonax virescens Alder FlycatcherEmpidonax alnorum Black-capped FlycatcherEmpidonax atriceps Buff-breasted FlycatcherEmpidonax fulvifrons Dusky FlycatcherEmpidonax oberholseri Gray FlycatcherEmpidonax wrightii Hammond's FlycatcherEmpidonax hammondii Least FlycatcherEmpidonax minimus

Heard a Yellow-bellied Flycatcher?

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