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 Rail

Rallus caerulescens

A medium-sized, secretive wetland bird distinguished by its slaty-blue underparts and a long, slender red bill.

What it sounds like

A loud, descending series of rapid, high-pitched trills and 'kree-kree-kree' notes that often accelerate.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Nature sounds by Simply Birding · South AfricaCC BY-NC-ND Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is closely related to the Water Rail of Eurasia but lacks the streaking on its chestnut-brown upperparts.
The species is highly territorial and uses its black-and-white barred undertail coverts to signal to rivals.
It is primarily crepuscular, often remaining hidden in dense reedbeds during the brightest parts of the day.
While mostly sedentary, it may perform local migrations in response to seasonal flooding or droughts.
Its diet is omnivorous, consisting of aquatic insects, small fish, crabs, and occasionally seeds or green shoots.

Habitat

Dense freshwater marshes, reedbeds, and edges of permanent wetlands with thick emergent vegetation.

Range

Sub-Saharan Africa, from Ethiopia and South Sudan south to the Western Cape of South Africa.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Austral RailRallus antarcticus Aztec RailRallus tenuirostris Bogota RailRallus semiplumbeus Brown-cheeked RailRallus indicus Clapper RailRallus crepitans Ecuadorian RailRallus aequatorialis King RailRallus elegans Madagascar RailRallus madagascariensis

Heard a African Rail?

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