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

Forbes-Watson's Swift

Apus berliozi

A medium-sized, aerial specialist of the Horn of Africa and Socotra, often distinguished from the Pallid Swift by its darker plumage and distinct geographic range.

What it sounds like

A high-pitched, metallic screaming call, similar to the Pallid Swift but often described as more raspy or buzzing.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Stanislas Wroza · OmanCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It was named in honor of Jacques Berlioz, a prominent French ornithologist and curator at the Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle.
The species is highly aerial, spending the vast majority of its life in flight, including foraging for insects and possibly sleeping on the wing.
It was historically classified as a subspecies of the Pallid Swift (Apus pallidus) before being recognized as a distinct species based on morphology and genetics.
There are two recognized subspecies: A. b. berliozi, found on Socotra, and A. b. bensoni, found along the coast of Somalia.
Nesting occurs in high-density colonies located within inaccessible rocky crevices, caves, and coastal cliffs.

Habitat

Arid coastal cliffs, offshore islands, and rocky inland escarpments near the sea.

Range

The Socotra archipelago (Yemen) and the coastal regions of Somalia.

Similar & commonly confused birds

African SwiftApus barbatus Bates's SwiftApus batesi Blyth's SwiftApus leuconyx Bradfield's SwiftApus bradfieldi Cape Verde SwiftApus alexandri Common SwiftApus apus Cook's SwiftApus cooki Dark-rumped SwiftApus acuticauda

Heard a Forbes-Watson's Swift?

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