How to Become an Identifier on Field Mycologist
Identifiers are the backbone of Field Mycologist’s recording community. They’re the members trusted to help confirm other people’s identifications, and every one of them started out exactly where you are now. Here’s how you can join them.
Every record on Field Mycologist starts life as an observation and a best guess. What turns that guess into a trusted record is other people looking at it carefully: agreeing, questioning, suggesting and confirming. That conversation is the engine of the whole platform, and Identifiers are the people who keep it running smoothly.
What Does an Identifier Do?
Identifiers help confirm other recorders’ identifications. An Identifier’s agreement carries extra weight, so an ID they back can be confirmed with less agreement from the rest of the community. That makes them the people who make sure the species is right before a record is relied upon. If something isn’t quite right, they suggest the correct species or ask for more detail.
It’s a role built on trust, not rank. Identifiers aren’t gatekeepers. They’re recorders who have shown, time and again, that their identifications hold up, and who use that experience to help everyone else.
How promotion works
Observers who consistently make accurate identifications can be promoted to Identifier automatically. There’s no application form and no exam. Your track record speaks for you.
Why It’s Worth It
Yes, you’ll get the Identifier badge on your profile. But there’s something more valuable at stake. Confirmed records are the ones that count. They feed into distribution maps, inform conservation assessments and help build a picture of how our fungi are faring. As an Identifier, you’ll be directly shaping the quality of that picture.
And here’s the thing, you’ll learn faster than you ever thought possible. Looking closely at other people’s finds, week after week, from habitats and counties you may never visit yourself, is one of the best mycological educations there is.
Seven Ways to Get There
There’s no secret formula, just the habits that good recorders share. Build these into your recording and you’ll be well on your way.
The road to Identifier
Get involved with other people’s observations
Browse the latest observations and look at them properly. Read the notes, study every photo and ask yourself what you’d call it. The more observations you engage with, the sharper your eye becomes.
Agree when you’re genuinely confident
If you’re sure of an identification, say so by agreeing. Agreements help observations reach confirmation and give the recorder confidence. But only agree when you’d stake your reputation on it. An honest pass is always better than a hopeful tick.
Suggest an ID when you can see something others have missed
Spotted that a supposed Charcoal Burner actually has crumbly gills? Suggest the right species and explain why. A good suggestion with a clear reason is one of the most valuable things you can contribute.
Explain your reasoning
A comment like “the ochre gills and hot taste point towards…” teaches everyone who reads it. Explaining your thinking also tests it. If you can’t explain why, it may be worth another look.
Ask questions
Not sure? Ask for a photo of the gills, a spore print or a note of the smell. Good questions are a sign of good practice, not of ignorance, and they often unlock identifications that would otherwise be left hanging.
Record widely and record well
Your own observations matter too. Well-documented records from different habitats, seasons and groups of fungi give others plenty to learn from, and show the breadth of your experience. Our guide to improving your observations will help.
Stick at it
Identifier status isn’t a sprint. It reflects careful, accurate work over time. Keep showing up, keep learning and keep helping others.
Did You Know?
Your help is already being recognised. The Helpful badge rewards the agreements and ID suggestions you make on other recorders’ observations, so every contribution you make shows up on your profile.
Quality Over Quantity
There are no shortcuts, and that’s the point. What matters is being right, being careful and being helpful. Identifiers are trusted because they’ve shown good judgement, and good judgement means knowing when not to agree just as much as knowing when an ID is worth backing.
It’s also absolutely fine to specialise. Plenty of excellent recorders know their boletes inside out but wouldn’t dream of naming a webcap. Contribute where you’re confident, and learn where you’re not. Nobody knows every group, and nobody expects you to.
Start with what you know
Pick a group of fungi you already feel comfortable with, whether that’s waxcaps, brackets or boletes, and look for observations of them first. Once you’re confident there, branch out. You’ll be surprised how quickly your knowledge grows.
Being Part of Something Bigger
Every agreement, every suggestion and every thoughtful question adds to a shared body of knowledge about UK fungi. Some of the most interesting records we hold exist because someone took the time to look again at somebody else’s photo and say, “Actually, I think this might be something special.”
That someone could be you. So have a browse through the latest observations, find one you know something about, and join the conversation. If you haven’t already, take a look at what’s new on Field Mycologist to see how profiles, Identifiers and badges fit together. You might find yourself wearing that Identifier badge sooner than you think.
Published by
L. Terry