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

South African Swallow

Petrochelidon spilodera

A colonial, migratory swallow endemic to Southern Africa during the breeding season, distinguished by its square tail and rufous-buff rump.

What it sounds like

A rapid, squeaky twittering song and soft, repetitive 'chreep' contact calls.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Dawie de Swardt · South AfricaCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It constructs characteristic gourd-shaped mud nests with entrance tunnels, often forming massive colonies under bridges or eaves.
Unlike many other swallow species, it possesses a square-ended tail rather than a deeply forked shape.
This bird is an intra-African migrant, flying north to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Gabon during the austral winter.
The species features a distinctive diagnostic throat pattern consisting of dark speckles on a pale, creamy background.
Breeding colonies are highly social and can consist of several hundred to over a thousand individual nests packed closely together.

Habitat

Open grasslands and karoo near water bodies, frequently utilizing man-made structures like bridges and dams for nesting.

Range

Breeds primarily in South Africa, Namibia, and Zimbabwe; migrates to Central Africa.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Cave SwallowPetrochelidon fulva Chestnut-collared SwallowPetrochelidon rufocollaris Cliff SwallowPetrochelidon pyrrhonota Fairy MartinPetrochelidon ariel Preuss's SwallowPetrochelidon preussi Red Sea SwallowPetrochelidon perdita Red-throated SwallowPetrochelidon rufigula Streak-throated SwallowPetrochelidon fluvicola

Heard a South African Swallow?

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