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

Fawn-breasted Waxbill

Estrilda paludicola

A small, delicate estrildid finch characterized by its pale fawn underparts and vibrant red bill. It is primarily found in the moist grassy regions of central and eastern Africa.

What it sounds like

A thin, high-pitched 'tsit' or 'tsee-tsee' flight call and a quiet, simple warbling song.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Hans Matheve · ZambiaCC BY-NC-ND Xeno-canto

Field notes

Features a distinctive bright red bill that contrasts sharply with its brownish-gray upperparts and pale belly.
Constructs a globose nest with a side entrance, often featuring a 'cock's nest' or false nest on top to deceive predators.
Feeds predominantly on small grass seeds but incorporates insects into its diet during the breeding season.
Often associates with other small finches, such as the Common Waxbill, in mixed foraging flocks.
Displays sexual monomorphism, where males and females are nearly indistinguishable by plumage alone.

Habitat

Moist grasslands, marshes, swamp edges, and rank vegetation in forest clearings.

Range

Central and East Africa, ranging from Ethiopia and South Sudan south to Zambia and west to Gabon.

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 Crimson-rumped WaxbillEstrilda rhodopyga

Heard a Fawn-breasted Waxbill?

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