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

Bar-winged Weaver

Ploceus angolensis

A small, specialized weaver of Miombo woodlands characterized by its unique white wing bars and nuthatch-like foraging behavior.

What it sounds like

A series of high-pitched, thin 'tsip' notes and buzzy, sizzling trills.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 0:35

Rec. Dries Van de Loock · ZambiaCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is the only member of its genus that regularly creeps along tree trunks and thick branches to forage like a nuthatch.
Its diet consists primarily of insects and larvae gleaned from bark crevices rather than the seeds favored by many other weavers.
Unlike many highly gregarious weaver species, it is typically encountered in pairs or small family groups rather than large colonies.
It frequently joins mixed-species foraging flocks, often associating with wood-hoopoes and eremomelas.
The nest is a simple, globose structure with a short entrance tunnel, usually suspended high in the canopy from a thin branch.

Habitat

Mature Miombo (Brachystegia) woodland

Range

South-central Africa, specifically Angola, southern DR Congo, and northwestern Zambia

Similar & commonly confused birds

African Golden-WeaverPloceus subaureus Asian Golden WeaverPloceus hypoxanthus Baglafecht WeaverPloceus baglafecht Bannerman's WeaverPloceus bannermani Bates's WeaverPloceus batesi Baya WeaverPloceus philippinus Bertram's WeaverPloceus bertrandi Black-billed WeaverPloceus melanogaster

Heard a Bar-winged Weaver?

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