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 Waxbill

Amandava subflava

One of the smallest estrildid finches, the Zebra Waxbill is a colorful, social bird noted for its barred flanks and the male's vibrant orange-red underparts.

What it sounds like

A thin, metallic 'zink-zink' contact call; the song is a soft, high-pitched, rapid warbling.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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

Field notes

It is exceptionally tiny, typically measuring only 9 to 10 centimeters in length.
Males possess a distinctive red eyebrow stripe and bright orange or yellow bellies, while females exhibit much duller plumage.
Rather than building their own structures, they frequently occupy and reline the abandoned domed nests of weavers or cisticolas.
Their diet consists primarily of small grass seeds, which they often glean directly from the seed heads.
The species name 'subflava' is Latin for 'yellowish,' referring to the bird's golden-hued underparts.

Habitat

Tall grasslands, reedbeds, marshes, and rank vegetation near water bodies.

Range

Widespread across sub-Saharan Africa, spanning from Senegal to Ethiopia and south to South Africa.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Green AvadavatAmandava formosa Red AvadavatAmandava amandava

Heard a Zebra Waxbill?

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