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

Forest Buzzard

Buteo trizonatus

A medium-sized South African raptor often confused with the migratory Steppe Buzzard, distinguished by its sedentary nature and preference for dense woodland.

What it sounds like

A high-pitched, plaintive 'pee-ooo' mewing call, similar to but often clearer than that of the Steppe Buzzard.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Marie Delport · South AfricaCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is strictly endemic to South Africa, restricted to the southern and eastern parts of the country.
The species name 'trizonatus' refers to the three-banded plumage pattern on its underparts, featuring a white mid-breast band.
While it historically favored indigenous forests, it has successfully adapted to nesting in non-native pine and eucalyptus plantations.
It is primarily a perch-hunter, diving to the ground to capture chameleons, lizards, and small mammals.
Plumage is highly variable, but it typically shows diagnostic large, drop-shaped brown spots on a white lower belly.

Habitat

Indigenous evergreen forests, forest edges, and exotic timber plantations.

Range

Southern and eastern South Africa, ranging from the Western Cape to the Mpumalanga escarpment.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Augur BuzzardButeo augur Broad-winged HawkButeo platypterus Common BuzzardButeo buteo Eastern BuzzardButeo japonicus Ferruginous HawkButeo regalis Galapagos HawkButeo galapagoensis Gray HawkButeo plagiatus Gray-lined HawkButeo nitidus

Heard a Forest Buzzard?

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