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

Ethiopian Swallow

Hirundo aethiopica

The Ethiopian Swallow is a small, agile hirundine featuring glossy blue-black upperparts, a pale rufous forehead, and a distinctively narrow or broken breast band. It is closely related to the Barn Swallow but is smaller in size and lacks long outer tail streamers.

What it sounds like

A weak, high-pitched musical twittering song, often interspersed with sharp 'tsip' or 'shrip' contact calls.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 5:18

Rec. Sun Madakan · NigeriaCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It constructs a deep, mud-cup nest typically lined with feathers and grass, often attached to buildings or bridges.
Unlike the similar Barn Swallow, its pectoral band is usually incomplete, appearing as two dark patches on the sides of the chest.
The species is largely sedentary or locally migratory, with movements often dictated by seasonal rainfall and insect abundance.
It is frequently seen in pairs or small groups, though it may form larger communal roosts outside of the breeding season.
The pale rufous or buffy coloration on the forehead is a key diagnostic feature that distinguishes it from several other African swallow species.

Habitat

Open savanna, grasslands, and agricultural clearings, often in close proximity to human habitation and water sources.

Range

Widespread across sub-Saharan Africa, ranging from Senegal and Guinea east to Ethiopia and south into Tanzania.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Angola SwallowHirundo angolensis Barn SwallowHirundo rustica Black-and-rufous SwallowHirundo nigrorufa Hill SwallowHirundo domicola Montane Blue SwallowHirundo atrocaerulea Pacific SwallowHirundo javanica Pearl-breasted SwallowHirundo dimidiata Pied-winged SwallowHirundo leucosoma

Heard a Ethiopian Swallow?

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Identify a bird by its song