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

Orange-cheeked Waxbill

Estrilda melpoda

A small, social estrildid finch easily identified by its namesake bright orange cheek patches and a conical red bill.

What it sounds like

High-pitched, thin 'tsee-tsee' contact calls and a soft, rising 'peee' whistle.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 0:16

Rec. András Schmidt · GhanaCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

Constructs a globular nest with a side entrance, often featuring a 'decoy' or 'cock's nest' on top to mislead predators.
Highly gregarious species that often forms flocks of 30 or more individuals when foraging for grass seeds.
Exhibits a characteristic 'tail-flicking' behavior where it rapidly shifts its tail laterally while perching.
While native to sub-Saharan Africa, it has established prolific feral populations in Puerto Rico and Hawaii via the pet trade.
The species is largely monomorphic, meaning males and females look nearly identical, though males sing more frequently.

Habitat

Tall grasslands, marshes, forest edges, and agricultural clearings near water.

Range

Native to Western and Central Africa; introduced to various tropical islands and the Caribbean.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Anambra WaxbillEstrilda poliopareia Arabian WaxbillEstrilda rufibarba Black-crowned WaxbillEstrilda nonnula Black-headed WaxbillEstrilda atricapilla Black-lored WaxbillEstrilda nigriloris Black-rumped WaxbillEstrilda troglodytes Common WaxbillEstrilda astrild Crimson-rumped WaxbillEstrilda rhodopyga

Heard a Orange-cheeked Waxbill?

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