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

Rufous-breasted Sparrowhawk

Accipiter rufiventris

A medium-sized African raptor characterized by slate-grey upperparts and striking rufous underparts, specializing in high-speed aerial hunts.

What it sounds like

A rapid, high-pitched series of 'kew-kew-kew-kew' or 'ki-ki-ki' notes, primarily heard near the nest site.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 0:07

Rec. Peter Boesman · South AfricaCC BY-NC-ND Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is a dietary specialist, with birds comprising approximately 98% of its prey consumption.
The species exhibits significant reversed sexual size dimorphism, with females being much larger and heavier than males.
It is considered the African ecological counterpart to the Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus).
Unlike many forest-dwelling Accipiters, it frequently hunts in open montane grasslands and fynbos.
The population has benefited in some areas from the introduction of non-native eucalyptus and pine plantations for nesting.

Habitat

Afromontane forests, forest edges, and high-altitude grasslands interspersed with trees.

Range

Eastern and Southern Africa, ranging from Ethiopia and Eritrea down to South Africa.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Cooper's HawkAccipiter cooperii Eurasian SparrowhawkAccipiter nisus Gray-bellied HawkAccipiter poliogaster Madagascar SparrowhawkAccipiter madagascariensis Ovambo SparrowhawkAccipiter ovampensis Sharp-shinned HawkAccipiter striatus

Heard a Rufous-breasted Sparrowhawk?

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