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

Gabon Woodpecker

Dendropicos gabonensis

The Gabon Woodpecker is a small, olive-toned woodpecker native to the dense tropical forests of Central and West Africa. It is recognized by its streaked underparts and the distinctive red crown patch found only on males.

What it sounds like

A sharp, high-pitched 'pit-pit-pit' or a rattling series of 'skritch' notes.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Étienne Leroy · GabonCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

Males possess a small red patch on the hindcrown, whereas females have an entirely dark crown.
It is primarily an arboreal insectivore, foraging for larvae and ants by probing and gleaning in the mid-to-upper canopy.
The species is known to join mixed-species foraging flocks, moving quickly through the foliage compared to larger woodpeckers.
Taxonomically, it is very closely related to the Melancholy Woodpecker, and some authorities treat them as the same species.
Its drumming is relatively infrequent and soft, making it more difficult to locate by sound than many of its relatives.

Habitat

Lowland primary and secondary rainforests, forest edges, and occasionally mature secondary growth.

Range

West-central Africa, ranging from southern Nigeria and Cameroon east to Uganda and south to northern Angola.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Abyssinian WoodpeckerDendropicos abyssinicus African Gray WoodpeckerDendropicos goertae Brown-backed WoodpeckerDendropicos obsoletus Cardinal WoodpeckerDendropicos fuscescens Elliot's WoodpeckerDendropicos elliotii Little Gray WoodpeckerDendropicos elachus Melancholy WoodpeckerDendropicos lugubris Mountain Gray WoodpeckerDendropicos spodocephalus

Heard a Gabon Woodpecker?

Open Birdsong, tap record, and identify the bird singing near you in seconds — then collect it in your field journal.

Identify a bird by its song