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 Slaty-Flycatcher

Melaenornis chocolatinus

A medium-sized, uniformly dark flycatcher endemic to the northeastern African highlands, distinguished by its subtle plumage and prominent pale eye-ring.

What it sounds like

A quiet, high-pitched series of 'tsip' notes and thin, squeaky warbling whistles.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Hans Matheve · EthiopiaCC BY-NC-ND Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is nearly endemic to the Ethiopian Highlands, with its range extending only slightly into Eritrea.
The species is characterized by its 'spectacled' appearance, created by a narrow but distinct white orbital ring around the eye.
Despite its name, its plumage varies from a slaty-grey to a deep brownish-grey, which led to its specific epithet 'chocolatinus'.
It is a sedentary species, typically found at elevations between 1,500 and 3,300 meters above sea level.
It frequently adopts an upright posture on low branches while hunting, sallying out to capture insects in mid-air or on the ground.

Habitat

Afromontane forests, woodland edges, juniper forests, and well-wooded suburban gardens.

Range

Highlands of Ethiopia and Eritrea.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Angola Slaty-FlycatcherMelaenornis brunneus Nimba FlycatcherMelaenornis annamarulae Northern Black-FlycatcherMelaenornis edolioides Southern Black-FlycatcherMelaenornis pammelaina White-eyed Slaty-FlycatcherMelaenornis fischeri Yellow-eyed Black-FlycatcherMelaenornis ardesiacus

Heard a Abyssinian Slaty-Flycatcher?

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