Finding Birds

Where the birds are. Your nearest state park is a great choice for your birding base of operations. State parks have large areas of uninterrupted habitat as well as amenities like bathrooms to make your day outdoors comfortable. The real ace in the hole at a state park is the ranger. Park rangers generally are well-informed about the species that inhabit the premises. Chances are, the ranger is at least a birding hobbyist and can tell you about native and wintering populations and where there have been sightings in the park.

National wildlife refuge areas also are fabulous spots to find birds and other wildlife. The National Wildlife Refuge System contains 540 refuges and 3,000 waterfowl production areas located throughout all 50 states and several U.S. territories. At 95 million acres, it is the world's largest system of lands and waters whose primary purpose is the conservation of wildlife and habitat. These national refuges provide homes for 700 bird species, 220 mammal species, 250 reptile and amphibian species, and more than 200 kinds of fish -- including 25 percent of all federal threatened and endangered species. To find a refuge near you, visit Refugenet, the Web site of the association.

National Wildlife Refuge System: Refugenet Map