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

Ahanta Spurfowl

Pternistis ahantensis

A large, secretive West African gamebird characterized by its dark, heavily streaked plumage and vibrant orange-red legs and bill.

What it sounds like

A loud, harsh, and rhythmic series of grating 'kraw-kraw-kraw' notes that typically accelerate.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 1:21

Rec. Alain Malengreau · SenegalCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is named after the Ahanta region in Ghana where the type specimen was originally collected.
The species is notably shy and primarily crepuscular, making it far more frequently heard than seen.
Its plumage features fine white shaft-streaks on a chocolate-brown base, providing excellent camouflage in dappled light.
Unlike many other spurfowls, it prefers secondary growth and dense thickets over primary rainforest.
It belongs to the 'Pternistis' genus, which distinguishes it from true francolins by the presence of bare skin on the throat and face.

Habitat

Dense secondary forests, forest edges, thickets, and abandoned agricultural clearings.

Range

West Africa, ranging from the Gambia and Senegal to southwest Nigeria.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Cape SpurfowlPternistis capensis Chestnut-naped SpurfowlPternistis castaneicollis Clapperton's SpurfowlPternistis clappertoni Djibouti SpurfowlPternistis ochropectus Double-spurred SpurfowlPternistis bicalcaratus Erckel's SpurfowlPternistis erckelii Gray-breasted SpurfowlPternistis rufopictus Gray-striped SpurfowlPternistis griseostriatus

Heard a Ahanta Spurfowl?

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