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-headed Broadbill

Smithornis sharpei

A cryptic, stocky suboscine of African montane forests, characterized by its streaked plumage and remarkable mechanical wing displays.

What it sounds like

A thin, high-pitched 'tsee' vocalization accompanied by a loud, buzzing 'krreeee-ik' mechanical wing-noise.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Jacob C. Cooper · CameroonCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It belongs to the family Calyptomenidae, which separates the African and Green broadbills from other 'typical' broadbills.
Males possess a concealed white dorsal patch of silky feathers that is flashed only during territorial displays.
The species produces a loud, vibrating mechanical sound by rapidly fluttering specialized primary feathers during short, circular display flights.
Unlike many passerines, it is highly sedentary and can remain motionless on a perch for extended periods while scanning for insects.
Its nest is a complex, pendulous 'purse' of moss and lichen suspended from a thin branch, often dangling over a forest clearing.

Habitat

Understory and mid-story of primary montane and submontane moist evergreen forests.

Range

Fragmented montane regions across West and Central Africa, including the Cameroon Highlands and the Albertine Rift.

Similar & commonly confused birds

African BroadbillSmithornis capensis Rufous-sided BroadbillSmithornis rufolateralis

Heard a Gray-headed Broadbill?

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