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-eyed Black-Flycatcher

Melaenornis ardesiacus

A striking dark flycatcher of Central Africa's highland forests, distinguished primarily by its vivid yellow irises and slaty plumage.

What it sounds like

A series of soft, high-pitched 'tsip' notes and a quiet, melodious warbling song.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

0:00 / 1:29

Rec. Peter Boesman · UgandaCC BY-NC-ND Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is a specialist endemic of the Albertine Rift montane forests, found nowhere else in the world.
The bright yellow iris provides a sharp, diagnostic contrast against its dark slaty-gray feathers, which appear black in low light.
It primarily feeds on insects, which it captures by sallying from low perches or gleaning from foliage.
The species is generally solitary or found in pairs, typically occupying the forest mid-story or understory.
Unlike the similar White-eyed Slate-flycatcher, this species lacks a pale wing panel, aiding in field identification.

Habitat

Montane forests, forest edges, and high-altitude secondary growth.

Range

Albertine Rift mountains of eastern DR Congo, southwestern Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Abyssinian Slaty-FlycatcherMelaenornis chocolatinus Angola Slaty-FlycatcherMelaenornis brunneus Nimba FlycatcherMelaenornis annamarulae Northern Black-FlycatcherMelaenornis edolioides Southern Black-FlycatcherMelaenornis pammelaina White-eyed Slaty-FlycatcherMelaenornis fischeri

Heard a Yellow-eyed Black-Flycatcher?

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