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 Woodpecker

Dendropicos abyssinicus

A small, endemic woodpecker of the Ethiopian Highlands characterized by its golden-green upperparts and bright red rump.

What it sounds like

A sharp, high-pitched 'pit' or 'ptick' call, occasionally followed by a rapid, descending rattle.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 1:25

Rec. Rolf A. de By · EthiopiaCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is strictly endemic to the Ethiopian and Eritrean highlands, usually found at altitudes between 1,600 and 3,000 meters.
Males possess a distinctive red crown and nape, whereas females have a completely dark crown.
The species is highly associated with African Pencil Cedar (Juniperus procera) and Hagenia abyssinica for foraging and nesting.
Its diet consists primarily of wood-boring insect larvae extracted from the bark of highland trees.
It is closely related to the Cardinal Woodpecker but is distinguished by its unbarred, golden-green back.

Habitat

Montane evergreen forests, juniper woodlands, and high-altitude Hagenia groves.

Range

Ethiopian Highlands and Eritrea.

Similar & commonly confused birds

African Gray WoodpeckerDendropicos goertae Brown-backed WoodpeckerDendropicos obsoletus Cardinal WoodpeckerDendropicos fuscescens Elliot's WoodpeckerDendropicos elliotii Gabon WoodpeckerDendropicos gabonensis Little Gray WoodpeckerDendropicos elachus Melancholy WoodpeckerDendropicos lugubris Mountain Gray WoodpeckerDendropicos spodocephalus

Heard a Abyssinian Woodpecker?

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