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

Aberdare Cisticola

Cisticola aberdare

A large, range-restricted warbler endemic to the high-altitude grasslands of central Kenya's mountains.

What it sounds like

A series of liquid, high-pitched whistling notes, often described as 'whee-chee-chee' or sharp 'tsip' notes.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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

Field notes

It is globally categorized as Endangered due to its extremely small and fragmented range.
The species is found exclusively at high elevations, typically between 2,300 and 3,700 meters above sea level.
It is closely related to the Stout Cisticola but is significantly larger, darker, and more heavily streaked.
Nests are meticulously constructed within the center of thick grass tussocks, making them exceptionally difficult to locate.
Major threats to its survival include habitat loss from livestock overgrazing and the expansion of high-altitude agriculture.

Habitat

Montane moorland and high-altitude tussock grasslands.

Range

Endemic to the Aberdare Mountains and Mau Escarpment in central Kenya.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Ashy CisticolaCisticola cinereolus Black-backed CisticolaCisticola eximius Black-lored CisticolaCisticola nigriloris Boran CisticolaCisticola bodessa Bubbling CisticolaCisticola bulliens Carruthers's CisticolaCisticola carruthersi Chattering CisticolaCisticola anonymus Chirping CisticolaCisticola pipiens

Heard a Aberdare Cisticola?

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