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

Beautiful Sunbird

Cinnyris pulchellus

A small, vibrant Afro-tropical nectarivore, the Beautiful Sunbird is celebrated for the male's striking iridescent green plumage and elongated central tail streamers.

What it sounds like

A high-pitched, rapid series of 'tsee-tsee-tsee-tsee' notes, and a complex, twittering, warbling song.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Peter Boesman · SenegalCC BY-NC-ND Xeno-canto

Field notes

Breeding males grow two central tail feathers that extend up to 5 centimeters beyond the rest of the tail, nearly doubling the bird's total length.
The species exhibits strong sexual dimorphism; while males are metallic green with red and yellow breast patches, females are drab grey-brown with yellowish underparts.
To reach nectar in long-tubed flowers, they frequently practice 'nectar robbing' by piercing the base of the bloom instead of entering through the front.
Their diet is primarily nectar, but they also consume small insects and spiders, particularly during the breeding season to provide protein for their young.
The nest is a characteristic sunbird structure: a hanging, oval-shaped purse made of grass, cobwebs, and lichen with a side entrance.

Habitat

Open savanna, acacia woodlands, dry thorn scrub, and suburban gardens.

Range

Sub-Saharan Africa, spanning the Sahelian belt from Senegal to Ethiopia and south into East Africa through Kenya and Tanzania.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Abyssinian SunbirdCinnyris habessinicus Anjouan SunbirdCinnyris comorensis Apricot-breasted SunbirdCinnyris buettikoferi Arabian SunbirdCinnyris hellmayri Bates's SunbirdCinnyris batesi Black-bellied SunbirdCinnyris nectarinioides Congo SunbirdCinnyris congensis Copper SunbirdCinnyris cupreus

Heard a Beautiful Sunbird?

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