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-faced Pytilia

Pytilia hypogrammica

The Red-faced Pytilia is a shy, colorful estrildid finch characterized by the male's vibrant crimson mask and distinctive golden-olive wings. It is typically found foraging on the ground in pairs or small family groups across the West African savanna.

What it sounds like

A thin, high-pitched 'tseee' contact call and a song consisting of clear, melancholy whistles.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

No reference call found yet · Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is the primary host species for the brood-parasitic Exclamatory Paradise Whydah (Vidua interjecta).
Sexual dimorphism is prominent; males display a bright red face and forehead, while females have entirely grey heads.
Unlike many other pytilias, its wings lack red tones, instead featuring a notable golden-yellow or olive-green wash.
Their diet is specialized towards small grass seeds but shifts to include termites and other insects during the breeding season to provide protein for chicks.
The belly and flanks are finely barred with white, a camouflage pattern that helps them blend into the dappled light of thickets.

Habitat

Wooded savannas, gallery forest edges, and dense bushy thickets near water sources.

Range

A broad belt across West and Central Africa, from Guinea and Sierra Leone east to the Central African Republic.

Similar & commonly confused birds

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

Heard a Red-faced Pytilia?

Open Birdsong, tap record, and identify the bird singing near you in seconds — then collect it in your field journal.

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