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

Cardinal Woodpecker

Dendropicos fuscescens

A small, ubiquitous African woodpecker recognized by its barred mantle and streaked underparts, with males uniquely identified by a red hindcrown and nape.

What it sounds like

A high-pitched, rapid trill sounding like 'kree-kree-kree-kree' and a short, fast drum.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / --:--

Rec. Marc Anderson · ZambiaCC BY-NC-ND Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is the most widely distributed and common woodpecker species found throughout sub-Saharan Africa.
Unlike many larger woodpeckers, it frequently forages on slender twigs, small branches, and even tall weed stems.
The species is highly adaptable, inhabiting environments ranging from sea level to altitudes of 3,000 meters.
Nesting pairs are monogamous and typically excavate a fresh nesting cavity in a dead branch for each breeding season.
Their diet is primarily insectivorous, utilizing a long, barbed tongue to extract larvae from wood and crevices.

Habitat

Savannas, open woodlands, riverine forests, and suburban gardens.

Range

Sub-Saharan Africa, spanning from Senegal to Ethiopia and south to the Cape in South Africa.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Abyssinian WoodpeckerDendropicos abyssinicus African Gray WoodpeckerDendropicos goertae Brown-backed WoodpeckerDendropicos obsoletus Elliot's WoodpeckerDendropicos elliotii Gabon WoodpeckerDendropicos gabonensis Little Gray WoodpeckerDendropicos elachus Melancholy WoodpeckerDendropicos lugubris Mountain Gray WoodpeckerDendropicos spodocephalus

Heard a Cardinal Woodpecker?

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