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

Silvery-cheeked Hornbill

Bycanistes brevis

A large, conspicuous hornbill of East African forests, easily identified by its massive cream-colored casque and silvery-tipped facial feathers.

What it sounds like

A series of loud, raucous, and rhythmic braying notes resembling a hoarse 'ark-ark-ark' or a donkey's bray.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / --:--

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

Field notes

The male's casque is significantly larger than the female's and acts as an acoustic resonator for its loud vocalizations.
During nesting, the female seals herself inside a tree cavity using mud and droppings, leaving only a narrow slit for the male to pass food through.
As primary frugivores, they are critical for forest regeneration, capable of dispersing seeds over several kilometers from the parent tree.
While mostly solitary or in pairs during breeding, they can congregate in massive communal roosts numbering hundreds of birds outside the breeding season.
They have a specialized tongue that is short and triangular, helping them manipulate large fruits like figs and mahogany seeds with precision.

Habitat

Tall evergreen forests, including montane, coastal, and riverine woodlands.

Range

East Africa, ranging from Ethiopia and South Sudan through Kenya and Tanzania to Mozambique and Zimbabwe.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Black-and-white-casqued HornbillBycanistes subcylindricus Brown-cheeked HornbillBycanistes cylindricus Piping HornbillBycanistes fistulator Silvery-cheeked HornbillBycanistes brevis Trumpeter HornbillBycanistes bucinator White-thighed HornbillBycanistes albotibialis

Heard a Silvery-cheeked Hornbill?

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