Species Identification

Identify any species you spot

Snap a photo, describe what you saw, or browse by trait — Wildly matches your find against real, naturalist-verified sightings. Free, no account required.

Three ways to identify a species

By photo

Upload or take a picture. AI matches shape, color and markings against millions of naturalist-verified images.

By description

Pick a group (spider, snake, bird…) then narrow by color, pattern or size. Real photos, no AI guessing.

By location

Species commonly seen near you — filter by region, month and taxon.

Browse identification guides

See all 37 guides

Common questions

How does species identification work?

Upload a photo or describe what you saw — color, pattern, size, location. Wildly matches against millions of naturalist-verified sightings to suggest the most likely species.

Is species identification free?

Yes. Photo and descriptor identification are free and require no account.

What can I identify?

Plants, insects, birds, spiders, snakes, caterpillars, mammals, tracks and more — anything logged by the global naturalist community.