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

Western Plantain-eater

Crinifer piscator

A large, vocal member of the turaco family characterized by its grey-streaked plumage, long tail, and distinctive shaggy crest.

What it sounds like

A series of loud, barking 'cow-cow-cow' notes that often accelerate into a cackling or laughing sequence.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Frank Lambert · SenegalCC BY-NC-ND Xeno-canto

Field notes

Possesses a robust, bright yellow bill with a reddish base that is used to pluck and manipulate various fruits.
Unlike many other turaco species, it lacks the bright red (turacin) and green (turacoverdin) copper-based pigments in its feathers.
Features semi-zygodactylous feet where the fourth toe can pivot either forward or backward to aid in agile branch climbing.
The name 'plantain-eater' is largely a misnomer as its primary diet consists of wild figs rather than cultivated plantains.
Highly gregarious and social, often found in small, noisy family groups that move through the canopy in single file.

Habitat

Open broadleaf woodlands, acacia savannas, and suburban gardens with fruiting trees.

Range

Sub-Saharan West and Central Africa, ranging from Senegal and Gambia east to western Ethiopia.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Bare-faced Go-away-birdCrinifer personatus Eastern Plantain-eaterCrinifer zonurus Gray Go-away-birdCrinifer concolor White-bellied Go-away-birdCrinifer leucogaster White-bellied Go-away-birdCrinifer leucogaster

Heard a Western Plantain-eater?

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Identify a bird by its song