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

Purple Starling

Lamprotornis purpureus

A medium-sized African starling characterized by its brilliant metallic purple plumage and contrasting large, bright yellow eyes. It is a highly gregarious species typically found in open woodland and savanna environments.

What it sounds like

A discordant and loud mixture of metallic rattles, clicks, and squeaky warbling.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 2:08

Rec. Peter Boesman · SenegalCC BY-NC-ND Xeno-canto

Field notes

The vibrant purple coloration is structural rather than pigment-based, caused by the interference of light through microscopic feather layers.
They possess a notably short, square tail compared to many other members of the iridescent Lamprotornis genus.
These birds are omnivorous, consuming a wide variety of insects, such as termites, alongside various fruits and berries.
They are hole-nesters, typically using natural tree cavities or abandoned woodpecker nests to lay their typical clutch of 2–3 eggs.
Purple Starlings are intensely social and are frequently observed in large, noisy flocks that can number in the hundreds outside the breeding season.

Habitat

Savanna, open woodland, and cultivated fields with mature trees.

Range

Sub-Saharan Africa, spanning from Senegal and Gambia eastward to western Kenya.

Similar & commonly confused birds

African Pied StarlingLamprotornis bicolor Ashy StarlingLamprotornis unicolor Bronze-tailed StarlingLamprotornis chalcurus Burchell's StarlingLamprotornis australis Cape StarlingLamprotornis nitens Chestnut-bellied StarlingLamprotornis pulcher Emerald StarlingLamprotornis iris Fischer's StarlingLamprotornis fischeri

Heard a Purple Starling?

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