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 Hill Babbler

Sylvia abyssinica

A small, secretive passerine of African montane forests, characterized by its grey head, olive-brown plumage, and melodic, warbler-like song.

What it sounds like

A rich, liquid series of fluty, warbling notes often compared to a mellow version of a Garden Warbler's song.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. He Wenjin/文进 · EthiopiaCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

Recent taxonomic shifts moved this species from the babbler family (Timaliidae) to the sylviid warblers (Sylviidae).
It is a highly polytypic species with several subspecies across its range, some of which are occasionally treated as distinct species.
The bird is primarily insectivorous but will supplement its diet with small fruits and berries found in the forest understory.
Despite its shy nature, it is a frequent participant in mixed-species foraging flocks in Afromontane environments.
Its nest is a small, well-concealed cup constructed from moss, lichen, and rootlets, usually placed in a fork of a shrub.

Habitat

Undergrowth of evergreen montane forests, bamboo zones, and dense thickets.

Range

Disjunct highland regions across East, Central, and West Africa, including the Ethiopian Highlands and the Albertine Rift.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Abyssinian CatbirdSylvia galinieri Bush BlackcapSylvia nigricapillus Dohrn's Thrush-BabblerSylvia dohrni Eurasian BlackcapSylvia atricapilla Garden WarblerSylvia borin Rwenzori Hill BabblerSylvia atriceps

Heard a African Hill Babbler?

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Identify a bird by its song