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

Black-headed Waxbill

Estrilda atricapilla

A small, elegant estrildid finch notable for its striking jet-black cap and vibrant crimson accents on the rump and flanks.

What it sounds like

High-pitched, thin 'tsee-tsee' contact calls and a soft, rapid series of twittering notes.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

No reference call found yet · Xeno-canto

Field notes

It features fine, dense horizontal barring across its grey mantle and underparts.
Nests are complex globular structures of grass, sometimes topped with a decoy 'cock's nest' to mislead predators.
The species is highly social, typically foraging in small, active flocks of 10 to 30 individuals.
It was historically considered conspecific with the Kandt's Waxbill (Estrilda kandti) before being split based on plumage and range.
Diet consists primarily of small grass seeds, supplemented by termites and other small insects during the breeding season.

Habitat

Montane forest margins, secondary scrub, clearings, and high-altitude bamboo zones.

Range

Central and West Africa, specifically the Albertine Rift and the Cameroon line of highlands.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Anambra WaxbillEstrilda poliopareia Arabian WaxbillEstrilda rufibarba Black-crowned WaxbillEstrilda nonnula Black-lored WaxbillEstrilda nigriloris Black-rumped WaxbillEstrilda troglodytes Common WaxbillEstrilda astrild Crimson-rumped WaxbillEstrilda rhodopyga Fawn-breasted WaxbillEstrilda paludicola

Heard a Black-headed Waxbill?

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