As a beginner, you just don't have an "eye" yet for the details. It's all about the details. Markings, edges, colors, slight differences that make a big difference. To get a fast and efficient lesson on how to identify, buy Peterson Field Guides (or get them from your local library). Peterson uses an arrow that points, in the sketch, to the spot on the bird or flower that makes that bird or flower that exact item. Looking for the exact mark leaves less room for confusion in identification.

For instance, there's a bird called the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. Many people find woodpeckers confusing, but if you look at the sketch in Peterson's guide you'll see a arrow pointing to the red under the throat of the bird. This marking makes the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker what it is. No other woodpecker has this mark. But it's something beginners may not yet focus on.

There's a guide for every living thing--including non-living such as rocks. The publisher is Harper Collins Publisher.  You can enjoy all and many of the other guide books, but make sure one of your guides is a Petersons!

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