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

Zebra Finch

Taeniopygia guttata

The Zebra Finch is a small, highly social estrildid finch easily identified by its bright orange beak and the male's distinctive teardrop eye markings and orange cheek patches.

What it sounds like

Short, nasal 'meep' or 'toy-trumpet' contact calls; males produce a rapid, rhythmic song of buzzy trills and staccato clicks.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

No reference call found yet · Xeno-canto

Field notes

Males learn their unique, complex songs from their fathers during a critical sensory period in early development.
They are opportunistic breeders, capable of nesting at any time of year immediately following significant rainfall in arid regions.
Zebra finches are highly gregarious and exhibit strong social monogamy, often maintaining pair bonds for their entire lifespan.
They possess a high tolerance for dehydration and can survive for long periods without drinking by extracting moisture from seeds.
In the scientific community, they are the second most studied avian species, serving as a primary model for research on vocal learning and social behavior.

Habitat

Open grasslands, scrublands, and savannas, usually within range of a permanent or temporary water source.

Range

Widespread across most of mainland Australia, with separate subspecies found in the Lesser Sunda Islands of Indonesia.

Heard a Zebra Finch?

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