# Posting observations with uncertain ID **URL:** \ **Category:** General\ **Created:** [June 28, 2021, 12:38pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/posting-observations-with-uncertain-id/24323 "2021-06-28T12:38:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![tomdudones](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/tomdudones/32/3805_2.png) [@tomdudones](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/tomdudones)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2021, 12:38pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/posting-observations-with-uncertain-id/24323/1 "2021-06-28T12:38:58Z")
Recently I was in the Southwestern US for a few months and was able to observe scores of hummingbirds visiting feeders every day. Probably 95% of these individuals were juveniles or females - certainly not adult males, which as a Northeasterner, made for some very chancy identifications. As it turned out , the great majority of my IDs were erroneous as I discovered when several identifiers with way more expertise on the hummingbirds of the Southwest, stepped in to correct my initial identifications. I’m wondering if perhaps I should in future, when confronted with an uncertain ID, just put it down to genus or evan family level and let it go at that. ---
**Author:** ![DriftlessRoots](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/driftlessroots/32/16059_2.png) [@DriftlessRoots](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/DriftlessRoots)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2021, 12:52pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/posting-observations-with-uncertain-id/24323/2 "2021-06-28T12:52:09Z")
That’s certainly an option and with birds, especially, you’ll still get people identifying them. I resort to jumping to a broader taxon quite often when I’m dealing with something I am not very familiar with. ---
**Author:** ![mamestraconfigurata](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/mamestraconfigurata/32/10149_2.png) [@mamestraconfigurata](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/mamestraconfigurata)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2021, 12:57pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/posting-observations-with-uncertain-id/24323/3 "2021-06-28T12:57:28Z")
That’s probably the best way of handling it. I often do that with moths I find difficult to take to species (like _Lithophane spp._). Use the highest taxonomic classification you are comfortable with. Another way would be to add your ID and leave a note saying you may be unsure of the correct ID. I consider it part of the ‘job’ of confirmation ID person to catch mistakes, rather than just agreeing and moving on. ---
**Author:** ![opisska](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/opisska/32/11191_2.png) [@opisska](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/opisska)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2021, 1:00pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/posting-observations-with-uncertain-id/24323/4 "2021-06-28T13:00:34Z")
It’s also good to note that for birds it’s not really a big deal - those get so many people looking at them that most errors are quite reliably corrected. In other groups, the risk that a mistaken ID stays on is greater. I personally put most birds to species except when unsure, then I usually put a genus - because for birds, it’s quite unlikely for me to now know the genus. For other wildlife and especially invertebrates I have much less confidence - I put a species only when I am quite sure - maybe for some butterflies and dragonflies for example. Otherwise, I pick what the AI says when it’s “pretty sure” and its genus or broader, or I just put a broader category myself. ---
**Author:** ![marina\_gorbunova](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/marina_gorbunova/32/31454_2.png) [@marina\_gorbunova](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/marina_gorbunova)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2021, 1:20pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/posting-observations-with-uncertain-id/24323/5 "2021-06-28T13:20:17Z")
You can add any taxon you like, even life, system kinda pushes users as if you need to add a species (at least many people feel it that way), but in fact there’s no pressure, just add any id you’re sure in. ---
**Author:** ![tomdudones](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/tomdudones/32/3805_2.png) [@tomdudones](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/tomdudones)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2021, 9:49pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/posting-observations-with-uncertain-id/24323/6 "2021-06-28T21:49:18Z")
Thanks to all for your input. ---
**Author:** ![mamestraconfigurata](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/mamestraconfigurata/32/10149_2.png) [@mamestraconfigurata](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/mamestraconfigurata)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2021, 1:08pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/posting-observations-with-uncertain-id/24323/7 "2021-06-29T13:08:17Z")
Just another note. Don’t rely too much on the automatic name suggestion. It works great sometimes, and can often give a clue to an id, but often it doesn’t deal well with variation. I see it a lot with moths - folks clearly pick the first suggestion, and while it may be similar or correct, it may not be. This year I’m finding a lot of _Noctua pronuba_ mis-identified to _Peridroma saucia_ for that reason. ---
**Author:** ![tomdudones](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/tomdudones/32/3805_2.png) [@tomdudones](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/tomdudones)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2021, 9:42pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/posting-observations-with-uncertain-id/24323/8 "2021-07-07T21:42:51Z")
Yes - I have discovered that. I’ve had some butterfly photos that have been ID’s/verified by experts and when I go to post them on iNaturalist, it will sometimes suggest something different altogether. Same with juvenile hummingbirds - had them verified by the person who literally wrote the book on NA hummingbirds & often the "suggestion was way off. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/inaturalist/original/2X/7/7831452cf7f0d653ff1ffd34176334b7ef1b6a17.png) [@system](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/system)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2021, 9:43pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/posting-observations-with-uncertain-id/24323/9 "2021-09-05T21:43:43Z")
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