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

Bates's Weaver

Ploceus batesi

A rare and elusive forest-dwelling weaver endemic to the lowland evergreen forests of southern Cameroon, characterized by its striking black hood and yellow collar.

What it sounds like

Poorly documented; described as a series of dry, chattering notes and wheezy 'swizzling' typical of the Ploceus genus.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

No reference call found yet · Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is one of Africa's rarest and least-known weaver species, with very few documented sightings in the wild since its discovery.
The male is identified by a black head and throat contrasted with a bright yellow collar and a chestnut-tinged breast.
Unlike many open-country weavers, this species is a canopy specialist that inhabits the upper layers of primary rainforest.
It is currently classified as Endangered due to its extremely small, fragmented range and the rapid clearance of lowland forests for agriculture.
The species was named after George Latimer Bates, an American naturalist who spent over 30 years studying the avifauna of West Africa.

Habitat

Lowland primary evergreen forest, typically found in the canopy and sub-canopy.

Range

Endemic to southern Cameroon.

Similar & commonly confused birds

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

Heard a Bates's Weaver?

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