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

Emin's Shrike

Lanius gubernator

The Emin's Shrike is a small, colorful passerine of the African savanna, easily identified by its bright chestnut back and bold black mask. Unlike many related species, it exhibits distinct sexual dimorphism and inhabits a relatively narrow latitudinal band across the continent.

What it sounds like

A complex series of harsh, scolding 'tsert' notes interspersed with liquid, melodic warbles and occasional mimicry.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Peter Boesman · GhanaCC BY-NC-ND Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is named after Emin Pasha, the 19th-century explorer and governor of Equatoria who provided the first specimens.
Unlike most shrikes, females possess distinctive rufous-chestnut patches on their flanks that males lack.
At 14–15 cm, it is one of the smallest members of the Lanius genus.
It demonstrates classic 'butcherbird' behavior, occasionally impaling prey on thorns to store for later consumption.
The species is largely sedentary, though some local movements are observed in response to the arrival of the rainy season.

Habitat

Open Guinean and Sudanian savanna, broad-leaved woodlands, and forest-edge clearings.

Range

A narrow belt across West and Central Africa, from Ivory Coast and Ghana to South Sudan and northern Uganda.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Bay-backed ShrikeLanius vittatus Brown ShrikeLanius cristatus Bull-headed ShrikeLanius bucephalus Burmese ShrikeLanius collurioides Chinese Gray ShrikeLanius sphenocercus Giant ShrikeLanius giganteus Gray-backed FiscalLanius excubitoroides Gray-backed ShrikeLanius tephronotus

Heard a Emin's Shrike?

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