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

Abyssinian Owl

Asio abyssinicus

The Abyssinian Owl is a large, dark montane specialist closely related to the Long-eared Owl, distinguished by its prominent ear tufts and heavy ventral barring.

What it sounds like

A deep, muffled, and rhythmic series of 'hoo' notes, lower in pitch than that of the Long-eared Owl.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

No reference call found yet · Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is the high-altitude African ecological counterpart to the Holarctic Long-eared Owl.
The species is found at extreme elevations, reaching up to 4,500 meters in the Ethiopian Highlands.
Unlike many owls, it typically reuses the abandoned stick nests of large raptors or crows rather than nesting in cavities.
Its plumage is significantly darker and more heavily streaked than its lowland relatives to provide camouflage in montane forests.
The diet is highly specialized toward endemic Afro-alpine rodents, such as grass rats and swamp rats.

Habitat

Montane forests, high-altitude moorlands, and heathlands with scattered Hagenia or Juniperus trees.

Range

Primarily the Ethiopian Highlands, with isolated populations in Kenya, Uganda, and the DR Congo.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Fearful OwlAsio solomonensis Jamaican OwlAsio grammicus Long-eared OwlAsio otus Madagascar OwlAsio madagascariensis Marsh OwlAsio capensis Short-eared OwlAsio flammeus Striped OwlAsio clamator Stygian OwlAsio stygius

Heard a Abyssinian Owl?

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