Earth Swarm and iRecord
iRecord is the UK's established way to send wildlife records to recording schemes. Earth Swarm is a newer app built around a map of confirmed finds and the walks you take. They do different jobs.
What is different
A map you can explore
Earth Swarm opens on a map of confirmed finds that you can play through by year and season, with what is new this year marked in ochre.
Suggestions on the phone
A species model on your iPhone suggests what you have found, with no signal, and you confirm it, choose another or say you are not sure.
Confirmed before it is published
A find reaches the public map only once it is confirmed: by the phone's model and you agreeing on a species recorded nearby, by a reviewer, by Help identify or by an expert.
Jobs near you
The app offers jobs every day, from a nature spot few people have recorded to a weekly challenge, and the first record of a species in a place is yours on the map.
When iRecord is the better fit
iRecord sends records to the national recording schemes and their expert verifiers. Earth Swarm does not send records to recording schemes yet. If you want a record to reach your county recorder or a national scheme today, use iRecord for it.
Questions
How is an Earth Swarm find confirmed?
A species model alone is never enough unless it is all but certain and the photo is sharp. Most finds are confirmed by the phone's model and the surveyor agreeing on a species recorded nearby at this time of year, by a reviewer, by people with a good record in Help identify, or by an expert. Every published find says which. How a find is confirmed.
Can I use both?
Yes. Nothing in Earth Swarm asks you to stop recording anywhere else.
What does Earth Swarm cost?
Nothing. It is free, and iPhone only for now, through Apple's TestFlight. Join the test.