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

Nimba Flycatcher

Melaenornis annamarulae

The Nimba Flycatcher is a rare, elusive songbird endemic to the primary rainforests of West Africa's Upper Guinea region. It is characterized by its uniform slate-gray plumage and its preference for foraging high within the forest canopy.

What it sounds like

A series of thin, high-pitched 'tseee' whistles and soft, sibilant chirping notes.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Brendan Sloan · GhanaCC BY-NC-ND Xeno-canto

Field notes

The species was only discovered by Western science in 1970, named after the wife of the ornithologist who described it.
It is a range-restricted endemic, found only in fragmented pockets of the Upper Guinean forest blocks.
Unlike the similar Northern Black Flycatcher, it lacks a glossy sheen and has a distinctly shorter, more rounded tail.
It is primarily an insectivore that captures prey mid-air through sallying maneuvers from high perches.
The IUCN classifies it as Vulnerable due to its small, declining population threatened by logging and mining in the Nimba Mountains.

Habitat

Primary lowland and submontane evergreen rainforests, specifically high-canopy zones.

Range

West Africa (Liberia, Guinea, Ivory Coast, and Sierra Leone).

Similar & commonly confused birds

Abyssinian Slaty-FlycatcherMelaenornis chocolatinus Angola Slaty-FlycatcherMelaenornis brunneus Northern Black-FlycatcherMelaenornis edolioides Southern Black-FlycatcherMelaenornis pammelaina White-eyed Slaty-FlycatcherMelaenornis fischeri Yellow-eyed Black-FlycatcherMelaenornis ardesiacus

Heard a Nimba Flycatcher?

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