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

Exclamatory Paradise-Whydah

Vidua interjecta

A striking brood parasite of the African savanna, the Exclamatory Paradise-Whydah is best known for the breeding male's exceptionally long, broad tail feathers and its complex mimicry of its host's song.

What it sounds like

A medley of harsh, metallic chirps interspersed with precise mimicry of the Red-winged Pytilia's melodic whistles.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Andrew Spencer · EthiopiaCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is an obligate brood parasite that specifically targets the nests of the Red-winged Pytilia (Pytilia phoenicoptera).
Breeding males grow specialized rectrices that can reach up to 30 centimeters, more than double their total body length.
To ensure survival, whydah chicks mimic the unique gape patterns and begging calls of their host's biological offspring.
The species is distinguished from the Broad-tailed Paradise-Whydah by its longer, more tapered tail and specific host preference.
Male courtship involves elaborate aerial displays where they hover and undulate to showcase their dramatic plumage.

Habitat

Dry savanna, open broad-leaved woodland, and acacia thorn scrub.

Range

West and Central Africa, ranging from Guinea and Nigeria east to Sudan and Ethiopia.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Barka IndigobirdVidua larvaticola Broad-tailed Paradise-WhydahVidua obtusa Cameroon IndigobirdVidua camerunensis Dusky IndigobirdVidua funerea Eastern Paradise-WhydahVidua paradisaea Green IndigobirdVidua codringtoni Jambandu IndigobirdVidua raricola Jambandu IndigobirdVidua raricola

Heard a Exclamatory Paradise-Whydah?

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