Do you identify what you are photographing when you are actually taking the image? How many times when you get back home, start uploading images and add keywords (you are adding keywords, aren’t you?), do you wish you knew what type of bird, plant, tree, etc. you had a photograph of?

Here is a list of mobile apps that can help you identify just about anything.

Plants and trees

Pl@nt Net: This app is a citizen science project in which you can even participate and contribute if you choose. It will identify thousands of plant species. They have projects based on geography from all over the world.

Leafsnap: The LeafSnap app was designed by a collaboration between researchers from two universities and the Smithsonian Institution. It will recognize trees and leaves from the photos you upload. Free on iOS/Android.

PlantSnap can identify 90% of all known species of plants and trees according to their website. It also gives you information about the plant and you can create collections of your favorites. Free and premium ($19.99) versions on iOS/Android.

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Picture This is a plant identifier app. You take a photo of the plant you want to know about and the app identifies it. Free on iOS/Android.

Virginia Tech Tree ID App users have access to a registry of thousands of types of trees. These can be narrowed down by location. Trees can also be identified by answering questions or checking out range maps and photos. This app only covers trees in North America. Free on iOS/Android.

Apps to identify insects

Picture Insect can instantly identify 4,000+ species of insects. Free on iOS/Android.

Insect Identifier App by Photo, Camera is a collaborative app with information from scientists around the world. You can also view the insect model in 3D. It still appears to be under an early access version and the reviews on this are not very good. Free on Android.

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Animal tracks

iTrack Wildlife Pro allows you to search a database of over 60 North American mammals based on specific information about their paw, foot or claw prints. It will actually help you identify animals based on their skulls if you happen to come across one of those in your wanderings. $14.99 on iOS/Android.

Identify birds with this app

Merlin Bird ID: This bird identification app asks you a few simple questions and gives you a selection of potential species based on your answers. It will only suggest species that are known to have recently been near your location.

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Plenty of apps to choose from

This is just a quick list I found with a little bit of research. Do you use any of these or have other recommendations? Let us know in the comments on this post. We’re all about sharing information.