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-winged Pytilia

Pytilia afra

A small, colorful estrildid finch distinguished by its olive-orange wing panels and finely barred underparts. It is a shy inhabitant of wooded savannas across East and Southern Africa.

What it sounds like

A series of thin, high-pitched 'seee-seee' whistles and a soft, melodic song of piping notes.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Thibaut Chansac · TanzaniaCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It serves as the exclusive host for the brood-parasitic Broad-tailed Paradise Whydah (Vidua obtusa).
Males feature a bright red face and bill, whereas females have a plain greyish head and a darker bill.
The species is often found in miombo (Brachystegia) woodlands, preferring more closed canopy structures than many other waxbills.
Its diet is specialized, consisting primarily of small grass seeds supplemented by termites and other insects during the breeding season.
During courtship, the male performs a 'rhythmic' display by holding a grass stem in its beak while bouncing vertically on a branch.

Habitat

Broadleaf woodlands, riverine thickets, and mature miombo savanna.

Range

Central, Eastern, and Southern Africa, from Ethiopia to northern South Africa.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Green-winged PytiliaPytilia melba Red-billed PytiliaPytilia lineata Red-faced PytiliaPytilia hypogrammica Red-faced PytiliaPytilia hypogrammica Red-winged PytiliaPytilia phoenicoptera

Heard a Orange-winged Pytilia?

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