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?

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Do I need an account or internet to identify a bird?

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Birdsong field guide

Damara Red-billed Hornbill

Tockus damarensis

The Damara Red-billed Hornbill is a medium-sized bird of southwestern Africa's arid woodlands, distinguished from its relatives by its pale plumage and diagnostic white eyes. Once considered a subspecies, it is now recognized as a full species within the Red-billed Hornbill complex.

What it sounds like

A repetitive series of 'kok-kok-kok-kokok' notes that accelerate into a rhythmic, cackling chorus.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Bram Vogels · NamibiaCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is uniquely identified by its creamy-white to pale grey irises, whereas other red-billed hornbills have yellow or orange eyes.
The species is near-endemic to Namibia, with its range extending only slightly into southwestern Angola.
Like other hornbills, the female seals herself inside a nesting cavity using a mixture of mud and feces for protection during incubation.
It displays a whiter face and underparts compared to the Southern Red-billed Hornbill, lacking the extensive grey-flecking on the head.
It is primarily a terrestrial forager, spending much of its time on the ground searching for insects, small reptiles, and seeds.

Habitat

Arid savannas, thornscrub, and dry mopane woodlands.

Range

Southwestern Africa, specifically Namibia and southwestern Angola.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Eastern Yellow-billed HornbillTockus flavirostris Jackson's HornbillTockus jacksoni Monteiro's HornbillTockus monteiri Northern Red-billed HornbillTockus erythrorhynchus Southern Red-billed HornbillTockus rufirostris Southern Red-billed HornbillTockus rufirostris Southern Yellow-billed HornbillTockus leucomelas Tanzanian Red-billed HornbillTockus ruahae

Heard a Damara Red-billed Hornbill?

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