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

Marsh Owl

Asio capensis

A medium-sized, ground-nesting owl of African grasslands and wetlands, distinguished by its dark brown facial disk and crepuscular hunting habits.

What it sounds like

A harsh, grating, croaking 'vrek-vrek-vrek' resembling the sound of a dry branch snapping.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 0:32

Rec. Tony Archer · South AfricaCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

One of the few owl species that nests exclusively on the ground within tunnels of trampled grass.
Displays a social nature rare among owls, often forming communal roosts of up to 40 individuals outside the breeding season.
Possesses small, inconspicuous ear tufts that are set close together near the center of the forehead.
Relies heavily on its acute hearing to locate prey beneath dense vegetation before pouncing.
Primarily crepuscular, it is frequently observed hunting in the late afternoon and early morning before total darkness.

Habitat

Open marshes, floodplains, damp grasslands, and montane moorlands.

Range

Sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar, with an isolated relict population in Morocco.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Abyssinian OwlAsio abyssinicus Fearful OwlAsio solomonensis Jamaican OwlAsio grammicus Long-eared OwlAsio otus Madagascar OwlAsio madagascariensis Short-eared OwlAsio flammeus Striped OwlAsio clamator Stygian OwlAsio stygius

Heard a Marsh Owl?

Open Birdsong, tap record, and identify the bird singing near you in seconds — then collect it in your field journal.

Identify a bird by its song