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

Ashy Flycatcher

Fraseria caerulescens

A small, unassuming grey passerine of African riverine forests, recognized by its upright posture and penchant for foraging near water.

What it sounds like

A series of thin, high-pitched 'tsip' or 'seee' notes, sometimes transitioning into a short, hurried warble.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

No reference call found yet · Xeno-canto

Field notes

Possesses distinct white lores that create a subtle 'spectacled' appearance against its ashy-grey face.
Unlike many related species, it is highly riparian and rarely found far from streams, rivers, or swamp edges.
Frequently performs a characteristic flicking motion with its tail immediately after landing on a perch.
Often joins mixed-species foraging flocks, moving through the mid-canopy to hunt for small winged insects.
Constructs a neat, cup-shaped nest typically positioned in a tree fork or a crevice near the water's edge.

Habitat

Riverine and gallery forests, mangroves, and moist lowland evergreen forest edges.

Range

Widespread across Sub-Saharan Africa, ranging from Senegal to Ethiopia and south to Angola and Zimbabwe.

Similar & commonly confused birds

African Forest-FlycatcherFraseria ocreata Chapin's FlycatcherFraseria lendu Gray Tit-FlycatcherFraseria plumbea Gray-throated Tit-FlycatcherFraseria griseigularis Olivaceous FlycatcherFraseria olivascens Tessmann's FlycatcherFraseria tessmanni White-browed Forest-FlycatcherFraseria cinerascens

Heard a Ashy Flycatcher?

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