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

Green Indigobird

Vidua codringtoni

The Green Indigobird is a small, brood-parasitic finch-like bird where breeding males are characterized by a glossy greenish-black plumage and a contrasting pale bill.

What it sounds like

A rapid series of raspy, metallic notes interspersed with mimicked trills and clicks of the Peters's Twinspot.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Magnus Wadstein · ZambiaCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is an obligate brood parasite that specifically targets the nests of the Peters's Twinspot (Hypargos niveoguttatus).
Male Green Indigobirds learn and mimic the complex songs and alarm calls of their host species to attract females.
Unlike many other parasites, the nestlings do not kill their host siblings, instead being raised alongside them in the nest.
The chicks possess specialized gape patterns and luminous mouth spots that evolve to perfectly match those of the host's offspring.
Breeding males are distinguished from the similar Village Indigobird by their distinct green sheen and reddish-pink legs.

Habitat

Riverine thickets, moist woodland, and well-watered suburban gardens in valley systems.

Range

South-central Africa, including portions of Zambia, Malawi, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Barka IndigobirdVidua larvaticola Broad-tailed Paradise-WhydahVidua obtusa Cameroon IndigobirdVidua camerunensis Dusky IndigobirdVidua funerea Eastern Paradise-WhydahVidua paradisaea Exclamatory Paradise-WhydahVidua interjecta Jambandu IndigobirdVidua raricola Jambandu IndigobirdVidua raricola

Heard a Green Indigobird?

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