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 Siskin

Crithagra totta

The Cape Siskin is a small, endemic South African finch characterized by its olive-green plumage and distinctive white-tipped wing and tail feathers.

What it sounds like

A thin, high-pitched 'tsit' or 'sweee' call; the song is a rapid, complex medley of twittering, trilling, and warbling notes.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Frank Lambert · South AfricaCC BY-NC-ND Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is a taxonomic relative of the Drakensberg Siskin, formerly grouped within the genus Serinus before molecular data moved it to Crithagra.
The species displays sexual dimorphism, with males sporting a brighter yellow-green face and throat compared to the streaked, duller females.
Unlike many other finches, it has prominent white spots at the tips of its primary flight feathers, which are highly visible during flight.
Its diet is specialized toward the seeds of fynbos plants, particularly those in the Proteaceae and Ericaceae families.
They are often observed in small family groups or pairs rather than the large, nomadic flocks common to other African canaries.

Habitat

Rocky mountain slopes, fynbos shrublands, and montane thickets.

Range

Endemic to the Western Cape and southwestern Eastern Cape provinces of South Africa.

Similar & commonly confused birds

African CitrilCrithagra citrinelloides Ankober SerinCrithagra ankoberensis Arabian SerinCrithagra rothschildi Black-eared SeedeaterCrithagra mennelli Black-faced CanaryCrithagra capistrata Black-throated CanaryCrithagra atrogularis Brimstone CanaryCrithagra sulphurata Brown-rumped SeedeaterCrithagra tristriata

Heard a Cape Siskin?

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Identify a bird by its song