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 Skimmer

Rynchops flavirostris

A specialized waterbird distinctive for its elongated lower mandible used to hunt by skimming the water's surface. It is the only member of the skimmer family native to the African continent.

What it sounds like

A sharp, metallic 'kik-kik-kik' or a series of harsh, high-pitched 'kip' barks.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Phil Gregory · UgandaCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

The lower mandible is significantly longer than the upper, allowing the bird to snap its beak shut instantly upon tactile contact with fish.
It is primarily crepuscular and nocturnal, using its highly sensitive bill to hunt when water surfaces are calmest.
Nesting occurs in simple scrapes on open sandbanks, which makes colonies highly vulnerable to fluctuating water levels and human disturbance.
Unique among birds, skimmers have vertical slit pupils that help protect their eyes from the intense glare of sand and water.
Chicks are born with mandibles of equal length, and the characteristic elongated lower bill only develops after they fledge.

Habitat

Large perennial rivers with expansive sandbanks, freshwater lakes, and occasionally coastal lagoons.

Range

Sub-Saharan Africa, ranging from Senegal and Ethiopia south to the northern regions of South Africa.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Black SkimmerRynchops niger Indian SkimmerRynchops albicollis

Heard a African Skimmer?

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