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

Crimson-rumped Waxbill

Estrilda rhodopyga

A small, social estrilid finch recognized by its striking red eye-mask and rump, native to the arid scrublands of East Africa.

What it sounds like

Thin, high-pitched 'tsee-tsee' contact calls and a faint, rapid warbling song.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. isaac kilusu · KenyaCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

Distinguished from the Common Waxbill by its red lores and the absence of fine barring on its throat.
Constructs a globular grass nest that often features a 'false nest' on top to distract potential predators.
Primarily granivorous, foraging for small grass seeds by clinging directly to seed heads or gleaning from the ground.
Commonly targeted by the Pin-tailed Whydah, a brood parasite whose chicks mimic the waxbill's specific gape patterns.
Highly gregarious, often found in small family groups or mixed-species flocks during the non-breeding season.

Habitat

Dry savanna, thorn scrub, grassy woodland edges, and edges of cultivation.

Range

Eastern Africa, spanning from Sudan and Ethiopia south to Malawi and Tanzania.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Anambra WaxbillEstrilda poliopareia Arabian WaxbillEstrilda rufibarba Black-crowned WaxbillEstrilda nonnula Black-headed WaxbillEstrilda atricapilla Black-lored WaxbillEstrilda nigriloris Black-rumped WaxbillEstrilda troglodytes Common WaxbillEstrilda astrild Fawn-breasted WaxbillEstrilda paludicola

Heard a Crimson-rumped Waxbill?

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