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-billed Cardinal

Paroaria capitata

A striking South American tanager known for its vibrant crimson head, white underparts, and signature bright yellow bill.

What it sounds like

A series of sweet, liquid whistles and rhythmic, flute-like notes often delivered in a cheery cadence.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Luciano Buck · ArgentinaCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

Despite its common name, it belongs to the tanager family (Thraupidae) rather than the cardinal family (Cardinalidae).
It is distinguished from the similar Red-crested Cardinal by its lack of a feathered head crest.
The species was introduced to the island of Hawaii in the 1960s and has since become a common resident there.
Juveniles possess a duller brownish head and a dark bill that only turns yellow as they reach maturity.
They are semi-aquatic foragers, often seen searching for seeds and insects along the muddy edges of rivers.

Habitat

Marshes, wet grasslands, and shrubby areas near slow-moving rivers or lakes.

Range

Central South America (Pantanal region, Paraguay, and northern Argentina) and Hawaii.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Crimson-fronted CardinalParoaria baeri Masked CardinalParoaria nigrogenis Red-capped CardinalParoaria gularis Red-cowled CardinalParoaria dominicana Red-crested CardinalParoaria coronata

Heard a Yellow-billed Cardinal?

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