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

Grimwood's Longclaw

Macronyx grimwoodi

A large, elusive terrestrial passerine endemic to the waterlogged highlands of South-central Africa, distinguished by its unique salmon-pink underparts.

What it sounds like

A thin, high-pitched, rising whistle, typically described as a clear 'tsee-ee' or 'swee-it'.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Peter Boesman · ZambiaCC BY-NC-ND Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is uniquely characterized by a pale rose or salmon-colored throat and breast, differing from the bright yellow or orange typical of most longclaw species.
The species was first described in 1955 and named after Ian Grimwood, who collected the type specimen in Zambia's Mwinilunga District.
It possesses an exceptionally elongated hind claw, an evolutionary trait that provides stability when walking over spongey, waterlogged vegetation.
Unlike many other pipits and longclaws, it is a highly localized specialist and rarely moves far from its specific high-altitude wetland territory.
It is frequently observed perching on small mounds or termite hills to survey its territory within the dambo ecosystem.

Habitat

High-altitude moist grasslands, seasonally flooded dambos, and marshy bog edges.

Range

Restricted range within the highlands of eastern Angola, northwestern Zambia, and the southern Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Abyssinian LongclawMacronyx flavicollis Fülleborn's LongclawMacronyx fuelleborni Orange-throated LongclawMacronyx capensis Pangani LongclawMacronyx aurantiigula Rosy-throated LongclawMacronyx ameliae Rosy-throated LongclawMacronyx ameliae Sharpe's LongclawMacronyx sharpei Yellow-throated LongclawMacronyx croceus

Heard a Grimwood's Longclaw?

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