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

Gray-backed Fiscal

Lanius excubitoroides

A large, gregarious African shrike characterized by its pearly-gray mantle, long black tail, and distinctive cooperative breeding behavior.

What it sounds like

A complex and loud medley of harsh, grating scolds interspersed with liquid whistles and expert mimicry.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Bram Piot · BurundiCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

Unlike most solitary shrike species, they are highly social and typically live in stable groups of up to ten individuals.
They practice cooperative breeding where non-breeding 'helpers' assist the dominant pair in defending the nest and feeding chicks.
As 'butcherbirds,' they impale insects and small vertebrates on thorns or barbed wire to create a food larder.
They are bold and aggressive defenders of their territory, frequently mobbing much larger raptors or snakes.
They possess a powerful, hooked tomial tooth on the beak designed to quickly sever the spinal cords of their prey.

Habitat

Open savanna, acacia thorn-scrub, and agricultural areas with scattered tall trees.

Range

Sub-Saharan Africa, ranging from the Sahel belt of Mali and Chad east to Ethiopia and south to Tanzania.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Bay-backed ShrikeLanius vittatus Brown ShrikeLanius cristatus Bull-headed ShrikeLanius bucephalus Burmese ShrikeLanius collurioides Chinese Gray ShrikeLanius sphenocercus Emin's ShrikeLanius gubernator Giant ShrikeLanius giganteus Gray-backed ShrikeLanius tephronotus

Heard a Gray-backed Fiscal?

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

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