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

Mali Firefinch

Lagonosticta virata

A small, range-restricted estrildid finch found in rocky terrains of West Africa, notable for the male's deep red plumage and contrasting greyish-brown mantle.

What it sounds like

A series of thin, high-pitched whistling 'tseet' notes and a soft, rhythmic warbling song.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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

Field notes

It is primarily distinguished from the similar Rock Firefinch by its significantly darker, grey-brown mantle and back.
The species is the specific host for the brood-parasitic Wilson's Indigobird, which mimics the firefinch's song to deceive it.
It was first described scientifically in 1932 by the British ornithologist George Latimer Bates based on specimens from Mali.
Unlike many other firefinches, it is rarely found near human settlements, preferring undisturbed rocky outcrops and scrubby hillsides.
The female is much duller than the male, possessing mostly greyish-brown plumage with red restricted primarily to the rump and lores.

Habitat

Rocky slopes, grassy plateaus with scattered bushes, and arid scrubland.

Range

Discontinuous range across Mali and eastern Senegal.

Similar & commonly confused birds

African FirefinchLagonosticta rubricata Bar-breasted FirefinchLagonosticta rufopicta Black-bellied FirefinchLagonosticta rara Black-faced FirefinchLagonosticta larvata Brown FirefinchLagonosticta nitidula Chad FirefinchLagonosticta umbrinodorsalis Jameson's FirefinchLagonosticta rhodopareia Red-billed FirefinchLagonosticta senegala

Heard a Mali Firefinch?

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