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

African Grass-Owl

Tyto capensis

A large, ground-nesting nocturnal raptor, the African Grass-Owl is distinguished from the Barn Owl by its darker sooty-brown plumage and specialization for damp, tall-grass ecosystems.

What it sounds like

A thin, high-pitched, metallic screeching hiss, similar to but more sibilant than that of the Barn Owl.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 0:18

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

Field notes

Unlike most owls, it nests on the ground in elaborate 'tunnels' created by trampling thick grass.
It possesses significantly longer legs than the Barn Owl, an evolutionary adaptation for landing in and traversing dense vegetation.
The species is highly territorial and displays extreme site fidelity, often returning to the same marshy patch for years.
Its diet is highly specialized, consisting primarily of vlei rats and shrews located using its acute, asymmetric ear openings.
It is a bioindicator species for healthy grassland ecosystems and is currently listed as Vulnerable in regions like South Africa due to habitat loss.

Habitat

Moist, tall, rank grasslands and marshy 'vlei' areas.

Range

Scattered populations throughout Sub-Saharan Africa, predominantly in Southern and East Africa.

Similar & commonly confused birds

American Barn OwlTyto furcata Andaman Masked-OwlTyto deroepstorffi Ashy-faced OwlTyto glaucops Australasian Grass-OwlTyto longimembris Australian Masked-OwlTyto novaehollandiae Barn OwlTyto alba Eastern Barn OwlTyto javanica Golden Masked-OwlTyto aurantia

Heard a African Grass-Owl?

Open Birdsong, tap record, and identify the bird singing near you in seconds — then collect it in your field journal.

Identify a bird by its song