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

Blacksmith Lapwing

Vanellus armatus

A bold, strikingly patterned black-and-white plover common to the wetlands and grasslands of sub-Saharan Africa. It is renowned for its aggressive territorial defense and distinctive metallic vocalizations.

What it sounds like

A loud, repetitive, and metallic 'tink-tink-tink' or 'clink-clink' sounding like metal on metal.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Magnus Wadstein · ZambiaCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

Named for its alarm call, which sounds like a blacksmith's hammer striking an anvil.
Possesses sharp, bony carpal spurs on its wings used for defense against predators and rivals.
Unlike many other waders, it has benefited from human activity, expanding its range into areas with artificial dams and irrigation.
Highly aggressive during the breeding season, it will fearlessly mob much larger animals, including hippos and raptors.
The species is monogamous and often remains in the same territory year-round if water sources are permanent.

Habitat

Freshwater wetlands, lake margins, riverbanks, and seasonally flooded grasslands.

Range

Eastern and Southern Africa, ranging from Kenya and Angola south to the Cape.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Andean LapwingVanellus resplendens Banded LapwingVanellus tricolor Black-headed LapwingVanellus tectus Black-winged LapwingVanellus melanopterus Brown-chested LapwingVanellus superciliosus Crowned LapwingVanellus coronatus Gray-headed LapwingVanellus cinereus Javan LapwingVanellus macropterus

Heard a Blacksmith Lapwing?

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Identify a bird by its song