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

White-bellied Crested Flycatcher

Elminia albiventris

A small, restless insectivore of African montane forests characterized by its prominent crest, slate-grey upperparts, and contrasting white underparts.

What it sounds like

A high-pitched, thin 'tsee-tsee-tsee' followed by a rapid, descending twittering trill.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 1:17

Rec. Jacob C. Cooper · Equatorial GuineaCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It belongs to the family Stenostiridae, or fairy-flycatchers, which are more closely related to tits and penduline-tits than to true monarchs.
The species is known for its constant movement, frequently fanning its long tail and twisting its body while foraging.
It is a nuclear species in mixed-species foraging flocks, often leading other birds through the canopy.
The bird's nest is a tiny, neat cup of moss and lichen bound with spider silk, typically placed high in a tree fork.
Despite being called a flycatcher, it primarily feeds by gleaning small insects and spiders directly from leaves and bark.

Habitat

Montane evergreen forests, bamboo zones, and occasionally dense secondary growth and forest edges.

Range

Discontinuous range across Central and East Africa, including the Cameroon line and the Albertine Rift.

Similar & commonly confused birds

African Blue FlycatcherElminia longicauda Dusky Crested FlycatcherElminia nigromitrata White-tailed Blue FlycatcherElminia albicauda White-tailed Blue FlycatcherElminia albicauda White-tailed Crested FlycatcherElminia albonotata

Heard a White-bellied Crested Flycatcher?

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