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 Gray Woodpecker

Dendropicos goertae

A medium-sized woodpecker characterized by its olive-green upperparts, pale gray underparts, and a distinct red patch on the lower belly and vent.

What it sounds like

A high-pitched, repetitive 'peek-peek-peek' series and a rapid, short drum.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 0:05

Rec. Joost van Bruggen · Guinea-BissauCC BY-NC-ND Xeno-canto

Field notes

Males are distinguished from females by a bright red patch on the hindcrown and nape, whereas females have an entirely gray head.
The species is known to forage frequently on the ground, a behavior less common in many other arboreal woodpecker species.
They are opportunistic feeders that primarily consume ants and wood-boring larvae, but will also take oil palm fruit.
Nests are excavated in soft wood, such as dead trees or palms, usually at a height of 2 to 10 meters above the ground.
It is a sedentary species that holds a large territory, often seen in pairs or small family groups following breeding.

Habitat

Wooded savannas, riparian forests, bushland, and suburban gardens with large trees.

Range

Sub-Saharan Africa, spanning from Senegal in the west to Ethiopia in the east, and south to northwestern Tanzania.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Abyssinian WoodpeckerDendropicos abyssinicus 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 African Gray Woodpecker?

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