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

Buff-breasted Wheatear

Oenanthe bottae

A robust, large-bodied wheatear of high-altitude regions, distinguished by its warm cinnamon-buff underparts and characteristically upright stance.

What it sounds like

A varied series of warbling whistles and scratchy notes, often incorporating mimicry of other avian species.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Hans Matheve · EthiopiaCC BY-NC-ND Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is among the largest species in the genus Oenanthe, reaching a length of approximately 18 centimeters.
Unlike many migratory wheatears, this species is primarily sedentary or performs only limited altitudinal movements.
It is a high-altitude specialist, frequently inhabiting montane plateaus between 1,700 and 3,500 meters above sea level.
The bird often perches prominently on rocks or mounds to scan for its primary diet of insects and small invertebrates.
Taxonomically, the Arabian populations were formerly grouped with the African Heuglin’s Wheatear but are now often treated as a distinct species.

Habitat

Montane rocky grasslands, high-altitude plateaus, and open stony agricultural fields.

Range

Highlands of Ethiopia and Eritrea, and the southwestern Arabian Peninsula (Yemen and Saudi Arabia).

Similar & commonly confused birds

Abyssinian WheatearOenanthe lugubris Arabian WheatearOenanthe lugentoides Atlas WheatearOenanthe seebohmi Black WheatearOenanthe leucura BlackstartOenanthe melanura Brown Rock ChatOenanthe fusca Brown-tailed ChatOenanthe scotocerca Capped WheatearOenanthe pileata

Heard a Buff-breasted Wheatear?

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