Understanding species and families will help you identify birds

To make sense of immature gulls, ignore how pale or dark the birds look

Know when to concentrate on bill shape, posture, movements, and contrasting markings, not color

To get to know streaked ­sparrows, focus first on a few key features of the face

Why a duck’s head shape might vary from the picture in your field guide

How your line of sight can change how dark or pale a bird’s feathers appear