This page is mostly about bird identification. After you have learned to identify your local birds you may want to read up on Bird Behaviour . Bird watching should be distinguished from 'bird spotting' . The difference is that while a 'bird watcher' is interested in the beauty of the bird and its behaviour, a 'bird spotter' is only interested in collecting a set of ticks on a piece of paper. This does not mean that 'bird watchers' do not keep lists of what birds they have seen, most of them do, but the attitude is different.
Bird identification is for the most part easier than insect or spider identification say.
Most birds can be identified by a combination of their image and a knowledge of the habitat they are in at the time. Bird watchers do not have to wade through incomprehensible keys. For most parts of the world there are now good colour guides to the local bird fauna. Wherever you are however some basic rules apply, the most important of which is learning to observe. You will need to know your way around the birds body, its topography.