When recording wildlife, correct identification is essential, however we don’t expect everyone to be an expert. If you’re not sure about what you’ve found there are plenty of places you can look for help:
Sometimes it’s enough to just compare with a photo and description in a guide; sometimes you may need to look through detailed keys to get an ID.
Click for a list of recommended books.
There is plenty of information available online, but it's best to try and use recognised sources such as well-known conservation organisations or national schemes and societies if possible.
Click for a list of recommended websites.
There are plenty of local and national experts willing to help identify wildlife. The best thing to do is try to take detailed photos, showing as many different features as you can.
Get in touch with us and we can pass the information on to a relevant expert to help with the ID. There is also plenty of support available through social media groups.
There are many different apps available to help with species identification. Using an app can be a great place to start. But it's worth being aware that apps that identify automatically using photos or sound can get things wrong! We recommend checking with another source of information too, such as a book or an expert.
Click to find out more about wildlife recording apps.
RECORD - Local Environmental Records Centre,
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