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 Snipe

Gallinago nigripennis

A stocky, long-billed wading bird of African wetlands, renowned for its cryptic plumage and specialized aerial drumming displays.

What it sounds like

A sharp, nasal 'yak' or 'aak' alarm call when flushed; the mechanical 'drumming' is a rhythmic, vibrating whir.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Tony Archer · South AfricaCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

The species produces a distinctive 'drumming' or 'bleating' sound during courtship by vibrating its outer tail feathers while diving.
It possesses a highly sensitive bill tip equipped with Herbst corpuscles to detect the vibrations of subterranean invertebrates.
When flushed, it typically ascends in a characteristic rapid, zigzagging flight pattern to evade predators.
Unlike the migratory Common Snipe, the African Snipe has darker upperparts and more extensive barring on its flanks and underwings.
It is primarily a resident species, though it may undertake local movements in response to changing water levels and seasonal rainfall.

Habitat

Montane marshes, flooded grasslands, dambos, and the boggy fringes of streams or dams.

Range

Eastern and Southern Africa, with disjunct populations ranging from Ethiopia to the Western Cape.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Common SnipeGallinago gallinago Fuegian SnipeGallinago stricklandii Giant SnipeGallinago undulata Great SnipeGallinago media Imperial SnipeGallinago imperialis Jameson's SnipeGallinago jamesoni Jameson's SnipeGallinago jamesoni Latham's SnipeGallinago hardwickii

Heard a African Snipe?

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