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-thighed Hornbill

Bycanistes albotibialis

A large, vocal forest hornbill characterized by its striking black-and-white plumage and a prominent, pale-colored casque.

What it sounds like

A series of loud, nasal, and rhythmic braying honks, often described as 'ark-ark-ark'.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 1:16

Rec. Deville Tanguy · Congo (Democratic Republic)CC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

Named for the distinctive white feathers on its thighs, which distinguish it from the closely related Brown-cheeked Hornbill.
The male possesses a massive, creamy-white casque that is significantly larger and more convex than that of the female.
During nesting, the female is sealed inside a tree cavity with mud and droppings, relying entirely on the male to provide food through a narrow slit.
They are vital seed dispersers in tropical ecosystems, capable of carrying large seeds several kilometers from the parent tree.
The species is highly social and can occasionally be found in large communal roosts numbering up to dozens of individuals.

Habitat

Primary and mature secondary tropical lowland rainforests.

Range

Central and West Africa, ranging from Nigeria and Cameroon to Uganda and northern Angola.

Similar & commonly confused birds

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

Heard a White-thighed 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