Dear bro Optiplex330. I think the best way is to observe the birds up close at the nearest BH in your vicinity.  I think you can identify them by the way they fly, and given time, even by the body make from afar. correct me if i'm wrong, but AF rarely flies low (slightly above ground level) even for feeding. I'm no expert anyway.

How to identify AF.
They have all black feathers. No white ring at the neck, No white patches at the belly. 
When they fly, their tails are shaped in "V".
They never stop flying and stand on trees, roof top etc
How they fly ( this need a lot of observations )

Oh really ? then u have to make a decision who is telling you the correct info about AF. But why bother to spot the non AF anyway ??

Experience and expertise come with practice. All of us here had gone through the process of learning to learn that. There is no short cut. Seek the advice, spend more time to observe the birds at a successful BH nearest to you. In no time, you are the expert too. But make sure you are observing the winged birds and not the two legged birds.