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

Cape Bunting

Emberiza capensis

A stout, ground-foraging passerine distinguished by its bold black-and-white facial stripes and rufous wing coverts. It is a common and often approachable resident of rocky environments across southern Africa.

What it sounds like

An ascending, wheezy series of chirps often transcribed as 'swi-swi-swi-chee-chee-chee'.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Dries Van de Loock · ZimbabweCC BY-NC-ND Xeno-canto

Field notes

Displays over 10 recognized subspecies across its range, showing significant plumage variation from grey to rufous tones.
Often exhibits unusually tame behavior around humans, frequently scavanging for food at campsites and picnic spots.
Constructs a sturdy cup-shaped nest made of grass and hair, usually well-concealed within a rock crevice or low bush.
Mainly granivorous but shifts its diet to include small invertebrates like insects and spiders during the breeding season.
The species is largely sedentary, though populations in high-altitude regions may perform local altitudinal migrations in winter.

Habitat

Rocky hillsides, mountain slopes, fynbos, and arid karoo scrub.

Range

Southern Africa, ranging from South Africa and Namibia to Zimbabwe and southern Malawi.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Black-faced BuntingEmberiza spodocephala Black-headed BuntingEmberiza melanocephala Brown-rumped BuntingEmberiza affinis Cabanis's BuntingEmberiza cabanisi Chestnut BuntingEmberiza rutila Chestnut-eared BuntingEmberiza fucata Cinereous BuntingEmberiza cineracea Cinnamon-breasted BuntingEmberiza tahapisi

Heard a Cape Bunting?

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