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

Southern Red-billed Hornbill

Tockus rufirostris

A medium-sized hornbill of the southern African savannas, distinguished by its slender red bill, yellow eyes, and characteristic black-and-white plumage.

What it sounds like

A rhythmic series of accelerating 'kok-kok-kok' notes that peak in a loud, clucking chorus.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 0:11

Rec. Dries Van de Loock · ZambiaCC BY-NC-ND Xeno-canto

Field notes

The female seals herself inside a tree cavity using mud and droppings, leaving only a narrow slit for the male to pass food.
They engage in a mutualistic foraging relationship with dwarf mongooses, catching insects flushed out by the mammals.
Unlike the northern species, the Southern Red-billed Hornbill has distinctive yellow irises and pinkish facial skin.
Their diet is primarily insectivorous, but they are opportunistic and will consume small reptiles, seeds, and fruits.
They exhibit a characteristic undulating flight pattern, which has earned them the colloquial nickname 'flying bananas'.

Habitat

Dry savannas, open acacia woodlands, and arid thorn scrub.

Range

Southern Africa, ranging from southern Angola and Zambia to South Africa and Mozambique.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Damara Red-billed HornbillTockus damarensis Eastern Yellow-billed HornbillTockus flavirostris Jackson's HornbillTockus jacksoni Monteiro's HornbillTockus monteiri Northern Red-billed HornbillTockus erythrorhynchus Southern Red-billed HornbillTockus rufirostris Southern Yellow-billed HornbillTockus leucomelas Tanzanian Red-billed HornbillTockus ruahae

Heard a Southern Red-billed 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