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

Brown-backed Woodpecker

Dendropicos obsoletus

A small, inconspicuous woodpecker of the African savannas, characterized by its plain brown mantle and white-barred wings.

What it sounds like

A sharp, high-pitched 'kweek' or 'pit' note, sometimes delivered in a rapid, rattling series.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 0:41

Rec. Joost van Bruggen · GambiaCC BY-NC-ND Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is one of the few African woodpeckers with primarily earth-brown upperparts rather than the more common olive or black.
The male possesses a small, often concealed red patch on the rear of the crown which the female lacks.
Unlike larger woodpeckers, it prefers foraging on thin outer branches, twigs, and even tall shrub stems.
It is frequently observed as a member of mixed-species foraging flocks, moving quickly through the canopy.
Though widespread, it is often overlooked due to its silent nature and camouflage against tree bark.

Habitat

Open broadleaved woodland, wooded savanna, and arid thorn scrub.

Range

Sub-Saharan Africa, spanning the Sahel belt from Senegal and Gambia east to Ethiopia and south into Kenya.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Abyssinian WoodpeckerDendropicos abyssinicus African Gray WoodpeckerDendropicos goertae Cardinal WoodpeckerDendropicos fuscescens Elliot's WoodpeckerDendropicos elliotii Gabon WoodpeckerDendropicos gabonensis Little Gray WoodpeckerDendropicos elachus Melancholy WoodpeckerDendropicos lugubris Mountain Gray WoodpeckerDendropicos spodocephalus

Heard a Brown-backed Woodpecker?

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