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

Red-cheeked Cordonbleu

Uraeginthus bengalus

A small, vibrant estrildid finch native to sub-Saharan Africa, characterized by the male's striking cyan plumage and distinctive crimson cheek patches.

What it sounds like

A thin, high-pitched 'tsee-tsee' contact call and a melodic, twittering song of rising and falling notes.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 1:19

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

Field notes

Only adult males possess the namesake red ear patches; females and juveniles lack this feature and have more muted coloration.
During courtship, both sexes perform a rapid 'tap-dance' display that is often too fast for the human eye to see without high-speed cameras.
They frequently build their nests near active wasp nests to utilize the insects as a biological defense against predators.
The species is highly gregarious, often forming mixed-species flocks with other waxbills and firefinches outside of the breeding season.
While primarily seed-eaters, they become significantly more insectivorous when raising chicks to provide necessary protein for growth.

Habitat

Dry savanna, acacia woodlands, thorn scrub, and suburban gardens or cultivated areas.

Range

Widespread across sub-Saharan Africa, from Senegal and Mauritania east to Ethiopia and south to Zambia.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Blue-capped CordonbleuUraeginthus cyanocephalus Southern CordonbleuUraeginthus angolensis

Heard a Red-cheeked Cordonbleu?

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