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

Common Scimitarbill

Rhinopomastus cyanomelas

A slender, glossy-black bird of African woodlands characterized by its dramatically decurved, needle-like bill used for specialized bark-probing.

What it sounds like

A series of mournful, high-pitched whistling notes, often described as a descending 'pue-pue-pue'.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 1:23

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

Field notes

Unlike the social woodhoopoes, this species is primarily solitary or found in monogamous pairs.
It lacks the white wing and tail markings seen in the similar Greater Scimitarbill.
The plumage possesses a deep violet-blue iridescence that becomes vibrant in direct sunlight.
It is a secondary cavity nester, frequently occupying abandoned woodpecker or barbet holes.
Its tongue is uniquely adapted with backward-pointing barbs to help extract insects from deep bark crevices.

Habitat

Dry savannas, thornveld, and acacia woodlands.

Range

Southern and Eastern Africa, ranging from South Africa to Kenya and Angola.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Abyssinian ScimitarbillRhinopomastus minor Black ScimitarbillRhinopomastus aterrimus Forest ScimitarbillRhinopomastus castaneiceps

Heard a Common Scimitarbill?

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