The verb parecer and the pronominal form parecerse are often confused. When followed by a noun, parecer describes something's appearance, what it looks/seems like; parecerse a, meanwhile, describes the resemblance or similarity between two different things. This distinction isn't always clear at first glance to the untrained eye. [See also parecer +subjuntivo]
-¿Quién es? -Parece mi madre — -Who is it? -It looks like my mum [Produce esa impresión; tiene ese aspecto; podría ser ella]
→Se parece a mi madre — She is like/looks like my mum / She's similar to my mum [Es parecida a mi madre]
→→Mi madre y ella se parecen — She and my mum are alike
-Ese pájaro parece una perdiz [Tiene ese aspecto; quizá lo sea]
→Sí, lo parece, pero no lo es [Véase verbos copulativos]
-Ese pájaro se parece a la perdiz [Es parecido a la perdiz; no lo es]
→Sí, se (le) parece bastante [≈Se parece a ella; es muy similar]
