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

Mountain Gray Woodpecker

Dendropicos spodocephalus

A medium-sized, olive-and-gray woodpecker endemic to the highlands of East Africa, often distinguished by its unstreaked plumage.

What it sounds like

A rapid, high-pitched series of 'week-week-week' notes and a short, fast drum.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 0:29

Rec. isaac kilusu · TanzaniaCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

Males feature a small red patch on the hindcrown, which is entirely absent in females.
It was formerly treated as a subspecies of the African Gray Woodpecker but is now recognized as a distinct species based on its high-altitude range.
The species is frequently observed foraging on thin outer branches and twigs rather than large tree trunks.
Unlike many related woodpeckers, its gray underparts lack heavy barring, showing only subtle yellowish or olive washes.
It often participates in mixed-species foraging flocks, moving through the canopy alongside babblers and flycatchers.

Habitat

Montane evergreen forests, high-altitude woodlands, and well-wooded gardens.

Range

Highlands of Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, and South Sudan.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Abyssinian WoodpeckerDendropicos abyssinicus African Gray WoodpeckerDendropicos goertae Brown-backed WoodpeckerDendropicos obsoletus Cardinal WoodpeckerDendropicos fuscescens Elliot's WoodpeckerDendropicos elliotii Gabon WoodpeckerDendropicos gabonensis Little Gray WoodpeckerDendropicos elachus Melancholy WoodpeckerDendropicos lugubris

Heard a Mountain Gray Woodpecker?

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