The Biggest Year in American Birding: A Quest to Find 900 Birds in the USA and Its Territories

Nicholas Komar set out on a yearlong effort to establish a new world record, finding the most species of birds in a single year in the USA and its Territories. His mammoth effort included not only a wide swath of the US states but also Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. His adventures took him to some of the best birding locations in the USA. He traveled to Alaska’s Aleutian and Bering Sea Islands, the volcanos of Hawaii, the Rio Grande Valley of Texas, Arizona’s sky islands, the Florida Everglades, and dozens of other spots across the western hemisphere. Nicholas faced several challenges, including his own struggles with Parkinson’s Disease, and some associated close calls while driving at night. Despite his fear of the ocean, Nick spent parts of 17 days at sea. Birding every day put a strain on his family and friends, but he also made new personal connections that deeply affected him during his odyssey. The book will be of interest to anyone considering doing a birding Big Year and should inspire all Parkinson’s Disease patients to follow their dreams despite their affliction. How long will his new world record last? Enjoy Nicholas’s book and use it as your inspiration to break his record. Read more