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.

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Birdsong field guide

Barka Indigobird

Vidua larvaticola

The Barka Indigobird is a small, specialized brood parasite known for its glossy breeding plumage and its remarkable ability to mimic the vocalizations of its host species.

What it sounds like

A complex medley of raspy chattering interspersed with perfect imitations of the Black-faced Firefinch's high-pitched piping and metallic trills.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Pritam Baruah · EthiopiaCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is an obligate brood parasite that specifically targets the nests of the Black-faced Firefinch (Lagonosticta larvata).
Breeding males display a deep greenish-blue to blue-black iridescence, while females and non-breeding males are cryptically streaked in brown.
Unlike many other brood parasites, Barka Indigobird nestlings do not kill their nest-mates, instead growing up alongside the host's chicks.
The nestlings possess specialized mouth markings (gape patterns) that precisely match those of the Black-faced Firefinch to ensure they are fed by the host parents.
Males learn the specific songs of their host species during development, using these mimicked calls to attract females who were also raised by that same host.

Habitat

Wooded savannas, dry shrublands, and agricultural fringes, typically in Guinea and Sudan savanna zones.

Range

Fragmented populations across West and Central Africa, including Nigeria, Cameroon, Sudan, and Ethiopia.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Broad-tailed Paradise-WhydahVidua obtusa Cameroon IndigobirdVidua camerunensis Dusky IndigobirdVidua funerea Eastern Paradise-WhydahVidua paradisaea Exclamatory Paradise-WhydahVidua interjecta Green IndigobirdVidua codringtoni Jambandu IndigobirdVidua raricola Jambandu IndigobirdVidua raricola

Heard a Barka Indigobird?

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