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 Hawk-Eagle

Aquila spilogaster

A medium-sized, powerful bird of prey characterized by its striking black-and-white plumage and agile flight. It is a specialized hunter of gamebirds across the wooded savannas of Africa.

What it sounds like

A high-pitched, musical whistling 'kluu-kluu-kluu' or a shrill 'kwee-kwee-kwee'.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 0:49

Rec. Andrew Spencer · EthiopiaCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

Pairs often hunt cooperatively, with one bird flushing prey while the other strikes from cover.
Despite its common name, genetic analysis confirms it is a 'true eagle' within the genus Aquila.
The species exhibits extreme plumage dimorphism between life stages; juveniles are warm rufous below, unlike the streaked white of adults.
It is one of the few eagles capable of taking down prey significantly heavier than itself, such as large guineafowl.
Nests are massive stick platforms typically placed in the fork of a tall tree, often used and expanded for decades.

Habitat

Wooded savannas, dry deciduous woodlands, and riverine forests.

Range

Sub-Saharan Africa, from Senegal east to Ethiopia and south to northern South Africa.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Bonelli's EagleAquila fasciata Cassin's Hawk-EagleAquila africana Golden EagleAquila chrysaetos Gurney's EagleAquila gurneyi Gurney's EagleAquila gurneyi Imperial EagleAquila heliaca Spanish EagleAquila adalberti Steppe EagleAquila nipalensis

Heard a African Hawk-Eagle?

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