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

Yellow-crowned Canary

Serinus flavivertex

A vibrant, high-altitude finch of the African highlands, known for the male's brilliant golden forehead and complex, melodious song. Formerly considered a subspecies of the Cape Canary, it is now recognized as a distinct species due to morphological and vocal differences.

What it sounds like

A rapid, liquid medley of sweet trills and clear whistles, often delivered from a high perch or during a circling display flight.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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

Field notes

Males possess a striking yellow crown and forehead that contrasts with an olive-green back and greyish-white wing bars.
It is a specialist of montane environments, frequently recorded at altitudes between 1,500 and 4,000 meters above sea level.
The species is primarily granivorous, utilizing its conical beak to forage for small seeds from grasses and shrubs.
Unlike many other finches, they are known to perform nomadic altitudinal migrations, moving to lower elevations during harsh winter weather.
Nests are meticulously constructed cups of fine grass and rootlets, often lined with animal hair or plant down for insulation.

Habitat

High-altitude grasslands, moorlands, forest edges, and montane scrubland.

Range

Discontinuous populations across East and Central Africa, from Ethiopia through Kenya and Tanzania to the Albertine Rift.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Black-headed CanarySerinus alario Cape CanarySerinus canicollis Ethiopian SiskinSerinus nigriceps European SerinSerinus serinus Fire-fronted SerinSerinus pusillus Island CanarySerinus canaria Syrian SerinSerinus syriacus Yellow-crowned CanarySerinus flavivertex

Heard a Yellow-crowned Canary?

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