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 Francolin

Ortygornis pondicerianus

A medium-sized, grayish-brown gamebird characterized by its finely barred plumage and a distinctive pale throat patch outlined by a thin dark line.

What it sounds like

A loud, ringing, and rhythmic 'khatee-teetar-khatee-teetar' that accelerates into a repetitive sequence.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 0:07

Rec. David Darrell-Lambert · United Arab EmiratesCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is a highly terrestrial species that prefers running and ducking into cover over taking flight.
Males are equipped with sharp spurs on their legs, which are used for territorial fighting.
The species is known for 'dust-bathing,' a social behavior used to maintain plumage and remove parasites.
Though native to South Asia, it was successfully introduced to the Hawaiian Islands and the Chagos Archipelago.
In local cultures, they have historically been kept as pets and even used for bird-fighting due to their pugnacious nature.

Habitat

Open scrubland, dry grasslands, thorny acacia thickets, and agricultural fringes in arid to semi-arid zones.

Range

Native to the Indian subcontinent and parts of Southeast Iran; introduced to Hawaii, Mauritius, and the Seychelles.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Crested FrancolinOrtygornis sephaena Swamp FrancolinOrtygornis gularis

Heard a Gray Francolin?

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