Identify
Wildlife identification guides
Spotted something and want to know what it is? Regional guides use clear field marks, comparison tables, and plain descriptions to help you name what you found — from UK garden birds to Australian lorikeets and North American feeder species.
Pick your region below, then use size, colour, markings, and behaviour to narrow the ID. Each guide leads with a quick summary, then walks through species step by step. Skip this hub if you need an emergency bite clinic or a licensed rehabilitator — that is a different job from naming a garden visitor.
United Kingdom
United Kingdom guides
Garden birds, butterflies, raptors, corvids, mammals, and native snakes.
UK Garden Birds
Robins, tits, blackbirds, goldfinches and other feeder visitors
Covered: Robin, Blue Tit, Blackbird, Goldfinch, Starling
Open guideBritish Butterflies
Common garden butterflies by colour, markings, and season
Covered: Red Admiral, Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell, Brimstone
Open guideUK Caterpillars
Identify caterpillars by colour, hairs, and host plant — with safety notes
Covered: Cinnabar, Peacock, Elephant Hawk-moth
Open guideUK Woodpeckers
Tell apart the three British woodpecker species
Covered: Great Spotted, Lesser Spotted, Green
Open guideUK Birds of Prey
Identify raptors by wing shape, flight style, and habitat
Covered: Buzzard, Red Kite, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Peregrine
Open guideUK Crows & Corvids
Crow, rook, jackdaw, magpie, jay, and raven compared
Covered: Carrion Crow, Rook, Jackdaw, Magpie, Raven
Open guideUK Garden Snakes
Grass snake, adder, and slow worm — how to tell them apart safely
Covered: Grass snake, Adder, Slow worm
Open guideUK Mammals
Fox, hedgehog, badger, squirrel, rabbit, and deer in gardens and countryside
Covered: Fox, Hedgehog, Badger, Grey Squirrel, Rabbit, Roe Deer
Open guideUnited States
United States guides
Backyard birds, raptors, butterflies, and common garden snakes.
US Backyard Birds
Cardinals, robins, blue jays, chickadees and feeder visitors
Covered: Cardinal, Robin, Blue Jay, Chickadee, Goldfinch
Open guideUS Garden Snakes
Harmless garden snakes — garter, rat, corn, king and more
Covered: Garter snake, Rat snake, Corn snake, King snake
Open guideUS Birds of Prey
Red-tailed hawk, bald eagle, kestrel, Cooper’s hawk, osprey
Covered: Red-tailed Hawk, Bald Eagle, American Kestrel, Osprey
Open guideUS Butterflies
Monarch, swallowtails, painted lady, and garden whites
Covered: Monarch, Tiger Swallowtail, Painted Lady, Cabbage White
Open guideCanada
Canada guides
Northern backyard birds and common mammals from coast to coast.
Australia
Australia guides
Suburban birds plus a safety-first snake identification guide.
Australia Garden Birds
Lorikeets, magpies, kookaburras, galahs and suburban species
Covered: Rainbow Lorikeet, Magpie, Kookaburra, Galah
Open guideAustralia Snakes
Brown, red-bellied black, tiger, python — safety-first ID
Covered: Eastern Brown, Red-bellied Black, Tiger Snake, Carpet Python
Open guideEurope
Europe guides
Continental garden and feeder birds across Europe.
New Zealand
New Zealand guides
Native garden birds including tui, fantail, and kererū.
India
India guides
Urban birds plus Big Four snake ID and harmless lookalikes.
India Garden Birds
Mynas, parakeets, sunbirds, koels and urban feeder birds
Covered: Common Myna, Rose-ringed Parakeet, Purple Sunbird, Asian Koel
Open guideIndia Snakes
Big Four venomous snakes and common harmless lookalikes
Covered: Cobra, Russell’s Viper, Krait, Saw-scaled Viper, Rat Snake
Open guideSouth Africa
South Africa guides
Suburban favourites including hadeda ibis, weavers, and mousebirds.
Japan
Japan guides
Temple gardens and city parks — white-eyes, bulbuls, and tree sparrows.
Brazil
Brazil guides
From the national thrush to kiskadees and hummingbirds at feeders.
Mexico
Mexico guides
Grackles, finches, and arid-garden species across Mexican cities.
UAE
UAE guides
Bulbuls, sunbirds, and doves in Emirates parks and planted gardens.
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia guides
Bulbuls, sunbirds, and tailorbirds from Thailand to Singapore.
Worldwide
Worldwide guides
Sound ID, big-cat and whale calls, and track guides that apply across regions.
Fox Sounds
The scream, bark, and gekker — what each fox call means
Covered: Vixen's scream, contact bark, gekker chatter
Open guideOwl Sounds
Great horned hoot, barn owl scream, tawny owl and screech owl
Covered: Great Horned, Barn, Tawny, Screech owl
Open guideWolf Sounds
Howls, barks, and whines — what each wolf call means
Covered: Pack howl, lone howl, bark, whimper
Open guideWhale Sounds
Songs, clicks, and calls — humpback, blue, and sperm whale vocalisations
Covered: Humpback song, sperm click, blue call
Open guideBig Cat Sounds
Roars, chuffs, and growls — lion, tiger, leopard, and jaguar
Covered: Lion roar, tiger chuff, leopard saw
Open guideCoyote Sounds
Yips, howls, and barks — identifying coyotes at night
Covered: Group yip-howl, lone howl, alarm bark
Open guideAnimal Tracks
Mammal footprints in mud, sand and snow by shape and gait
Covered: Dog, Cat, Fox, Deer, Rabbit, Bear
Open guideHow to use these guides
When you spot a new animal, note overall colour, distinctive markings, size relative to something familiar (a sparrow, a robin, your hand), where you saw it, and what it was doing. Those four details usually narrow it to one or two species — then check the regional guide for your country.
Identification FAQs
How do I identify a bird I saw in my garden?
Note size, bill shape, head pattern, and behaviour first. Use the regional garden bird guide for your country — UK, US, Canada, Australia, Europe, or New Zealand — then compare calls and feeding style to confirm.
Are there identification guides for countries other than the UK?
Yes. This hub includes guides for the United States, Canada, Australia, continental Europe, New Zealand, India, South Africa, Japan, Brazil, Mexico, the UAE, and Southeast Asia, plus worldwide sound and track guides.
What if I found a snake in my garden?
Keep your distance and use the regional snake guide for your country — UK, US, Australia, or India. Most temperate garden snakes are harmless, but Australia and India have highly venomous species near people; never handle a snake you cannot identify.
Do you have mammal identification guides?
Yes. Start with the UK mammals and Canada mammals guides for common garden and trail species, alongside bird, butterfly, and sound guides for other taxa.
Who should skip these ID guides?
Skip them if you need emergency medical advice after a bite, or a licensed rehabilitator for an injured animal. These pages name common species from field marks. They are not a substitute for a local wildlife hospital.