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| Links | |
Here are some links I frequently use and/or find handy when planning a trip:
For birding information/reference:
Seattle Audubon Society
Bird Web: Information on Washington's Birds
UW’s GIS data on bird mapping for Washington and California
Tweeters Digest: chatroom about birds in Washington and beyond
Oregon Birding List: chatroom about birds in Oregon and beyond
Bird Chatrooms around the world divided into regions
USGS Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center bird checklists of US
Bird Web: Information on Washington's Birds
UW’s GIS data on bird mapping for Washington and California
Tweeters Digest: chatroom about birds in Washington and beyond
Oregon Birding List: chatroom about birds in Oregon and beyond
Bird Chatrooms around the world divided into regions
USGS Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center bird checklists of US
For travel plans:
Passes & Permits:
America the Beautiful - National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands (Interagency) Annual Pass: covers Entrance Fees or Standard Amenity Fees at sites managed by Forest Service, National Park Service, US Fish & Wildlife, Bureau of Land Management, and Bureau of Reclamation.
Northwest Passes: Day/Annual/Regional Passes for recreational fees
Washington Watchable Wildlife Package with vehicle use permit: for use at Washington's Wildlife Management Areas
Northwest Passes: Day/Annual/Regional Passes for recreational fees
Washington Watchable Wildlife Package with vehicle use permit: for use at Washington's Wildlife Management Areas
Other guides/references that are useful:
Since you’re good at looking in the sky for birds, may as well look at the stars
Protected/Managed Lands in the United States:
Wildlife Viewing Areas
National Important Bird Areas
National Wildlife Refuges
National Parks
National Forests
Bureaus of Land Management
Nature Conservancy Lands
Public Lands Information Center for Western US states
National Important Bird Areas
National Wildlife Refuges
National Parks
National Forests
Bureaus of Land Management
Nature Conservancy Lands
Public Lands Information Center for Western US states
Birding Trails/Maps, Important Birding Areas, and Wildlife Guides/Areas of each state divided into regions:
Pacific Ocean States | Rocky Mountain States | Desert States | Great Plains | Midwest | Great Lakes | Northeast | Southeast
Pacific Ocean States (Alaska, Washington, Oregon, California, Hawaii)
Rocky Mountain States (Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Nevada, Utah, Colorado)
Desert States (Arizona, New Mexico)
Great Plains (Oklahoma, Texas)
MidWest (North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas)
Great Lakes (Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio)
Northeast (New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey)
Southeast (Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia, Arkansas, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida)
Protected/Managed Lands in Canada
| Birding Trail/Map | Important Birding Areas (IBA) | Wildlife Guides & Areas | |
| Alaska | Alaska Coastal Wildlife Viewing Trail (Department of Fish & Game) – online guide or available via phone or email | Alaska Wildlife Viewing Guide (Department of Fish & Game) – online guide or available for purchase | |
| Washington | Great Washington Birding Trails (Audubon) – available for purchase 4 loops: Olympic, Cascade, Coulee Corridor, Southwest |
Washington IBA: pdf Region 1 – Introduction, Criteria, Conservation and Pacific Coast Region 2 – Western Lowlands Region 3 – Cascade Mountains Region 4 – Columbia Basin |
Washington Wildlife Viewing Guide (Department of Fish & Wildlife) – online guide or available with Watchable Wildlife Package Wildlife Management Areas (Department of Fish & Wildlife) – online guide |
| Oregon | Oregon Birding Trails (visitor/tourism association) – Cascades Birding Trail (5 loops) – pdf Oregon Coast Birding Trail (4 regions) – pdf or available by online form Willamette Valley Birding Trail, - under development Klamath Basin Birding Trail – online guide |
Oregon IBA: online map/list | Wildlife Areas (Department of Fish & Wildlife) – online guide or available by phone |
| California | Central Coast Birding Trail (Audubon) – online guide 4 counties: Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura Eastern Sierra Birding Trail (Audubon et al.) – online guide or available via email |
California IBA: book available for purchase | California Wildlife Viewing Guide – online map California Watchable Wildlife - available for purchase Watchable Wildlife (Department of Fish & Game) – online guide |
| Hawaii | Hawaii Watchable Wildlife Guide – available for purchase |
Rocky Mountain States (Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Nevada, Utah, Colorado)
| Birding Trail/Map | Important Birding Areas (IBA) | Wildlife Guides & Areas | |
| Idaho | Idaho Birding Trail (Department of Fish & Game) – online guide or copy available via mail 4 loops: North, Southeast, Southwest, East Central |
Idaho Wildlife Viewing Guide (Department of Fish & Game) – available for purchase Wildlife Management Areas (Department of Fish & Game) – online guide |
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| Montana | Montana Birding Trail – online guide or available via phone, mail, email 1 county: Glacier |
Montana Wildlife Viewing Guide – available for purchase Wildlife Management Areas (Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks) – online guide |
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| Wyoming | Wyoming IBA: online map/list | Wildlife Viewing Tour Guide (Game & Fish Department) – available for purchase Wildlife Habitat Management Access (Game & Fish Department) – online guide |
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| Nevada | Nevada Birding Map (Lahontan Audubon Society, et al.) – available via mail | Nevada IBA: online map/guide also available for purchase | Nevada Wildlife Viewing Guide – available for purchase Wildlife Management Area (Department of Wildlife) – online guide |
| Utah | Utah Birding Trails (Audubon) – online guide or available for purchase 3 maps: Great Salt Lake, Southwest, Eastern |
Access to Wildlife Lands of Utah (Division of Wildlife Resources) – guide available for purchase | |
| Colorado | Great Pikes Peak Birding Trail (Audubon, et al.) – online guide 3 regions: Eastern Plains, Rocky Mountains, Western Colorado |
Colorado IBA: online map/guide | Colorado Wildlife Guide (Division of Wildlife Resources) – online guide Colorado Watchable Wildlife Guide - available for purchase Colorado State Wildlife Area (Division of Wildlife Resources) – online guide or available for purchase |
Desert States (Arizona, New Mexico)
| Birding Trail/Map | Important Birding Areas (IBA) | Wildlife Guides & Areas | |
| Arizona | Southeast Arizona Birding Trail (SE AZ Bird Observatory, et al.) - order online Southeast Arizona Bird Observatory Online Guide to Birding Hot Spots |
Arizona IBA: online list | Arizona Watchable Wildlife Guide (Game and Fish) – available for purchase Arizona Wildlife Areas (Game and Fish) - online guide |
| New Mexico | Southwest New Mexico Birding Trail (Game and Fish) - pdfs available Northcentral New Mexico Birding Trail (Audubon) - online map Southwest New Mexico Birding Trail (Audubon) - online map |
New Mexico IBA: online map or list | New Mexico Wildlife Viewing Guide (Game and Fish) – pdfs available or available for purchase (out of print) New Mexico Wildlife Management Area (Game and Fish) - online guide (under construction) |
Great Plains (Oklahoma, Texas)
| Birding Trail/Map | Important Birding Areas (IBA) | Wildlife Guides & Areas | |
| Oklahoma | Great Plains Trail of Oklahoma – online guide or order online |
Wildlife Management Area (Department of Wildlife Conservation) - online guide | |
| Texas | Texas Wildlife and Birding Trail (Parks and Wildlife Department) – online guide also available for purchase 3 maps: Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail – Upper, Central, and Lower Coasts |
Texas Wildlife Viewing Guide – available for purchase Texas Wildlife and Birding Trail (Parks and Wildlife Department) – online guide also available for purchase 5 maps: Heart of Texas Wildlife Trail – East and West, Panhandle Plains Wildlife Trail, Prairies and Pineywoods Wildlife Trail – East and West Texas Wildlife Management Area (Parks and Wildlife Department) - online guide |
MidWest (North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas)
| Birding Trail/Map | Important Birding Areas (IBA) | Wildlife Guides & Areas | |
| North Dakota | Bismarck-Mandan Birding Drive (Convention & Visitors Bureau) – online guide 3 driving routes: Missouri River, McKenzie, Little Heart Steele Birding Drive – free available via phone or email |
North Dakota Wildlife Viewing Guide – available for purchase Wildlife Management Area (Department of Game & Fish) – online guide |
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| South Dakota | South Dakota Birding Trails (Department of Tourism and State Development) – pdf 2 maps: Glacial Lakes and Prairies, Southeast South Dakota |
Birding State Parks and Recreation Areas (Department of Game, Fish, & Parks) – pdf | |
| Nebraska | Nebraska Birding Trails – online guide 13 regions: Central Niobrara Valley, Central Paltte Valley, Missouri Valley, Pine Ridge, Rainwater Basin/Mixed-grass Prairie, Republican Valley, Sandhills, Sandsage Prairie, Shortgrass Prairie, Tallgrass Prairie |
Nebraska IBA: online map/list |
Nebraska Wildlife Viewing Guide – available for purchase |
| Kansas | Kansas Birding Trail (Audubon) – online guide or available via online form 4 maps: Tallgrass Prairie Parkway, Central Wetlands & Prairie, Forest Prairie Edge, Shortgrass & Sandsage Prairie |
Kansas Wildlife Viewing Sites (Department of Wildlife & Parks) – online guide or available for purchase Wildlife Area (Department of Wildlife & Parks) - online guide |
Great Lakes (Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio)
| Birding Trail/Map | Important Birding Areas (IBA) | Wildlife Guides & Areas | |
| Upper Mississippi Region |
Great River Birding Trail (Audubon) - pdf 15 maps: 1. Bemidji, MN: Lake Itasca to Deer River, MN 2. Brainerd, MN: Deer River to Camp Ripley Jct., MN 3. St. Cloud, MN: Little Falls to Anoka, MN 4. Twin Cities, MN: Minneapolis and St. Paul, MN 5. Red Wing, MN: Cottage Grove to Kellogg, MN 6. LaCrosse, WI: Kellogg, MN to New Albin, IA 7. Prairie du Chien, WI: New Albin to Sageville, IA 8. Dubuque, IA: Sageville to Clinton, IA 9. Clinton, IA: Folletts, IA to New Boston, IL 10. Burlington, IA: New Boston, IL to Keokuk, IA 11. Quincy, IL: Warsaw, IL to Clarksville, MO 12. Hardin, IL: Louisiana, MO to Alton, IL 13. St. Louis: West Alton, IL to Arnold, MO 14. St. Genevieve, MO: Arnold, MO to Thebes, IL 15. Cairo, IL: Cape Girardeau, MO to Arkansas Border |
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| Minnesota | Great River Birding Trail (Audubon) - pdf, see above Minnesota's Pine to Prairie Birding Trail – pdf or available via online form Minnesota River Valley Birding Trail (Audubon) - online guide or can request a copy for the cost of postage |
Minnesota IBA: online map/guide |
Wildlife Viewing Locations (Department of Natural Resources) – online guide |
| Wisconsin | Great River Birding Trail (Audubon) - pdf, see above Oak Leaf Birding Trail (Milwaukee County Parks) – online guide or can request a copy via phone or email Great Wisconsin Birding and Nature Trail (Department of Natural Resources) – online guide 5 maps: Lake Superior - North Woods, Mississippi - Chippewa Rivers, Central Sands Prairie, Lake Michigan, Southern Savanna |
Wisconsin IBA: online map/guide |
Wisconsin Watchable Wildlife Guide (Department of Natural Resources) – available for purchase Public Wildlife Recreation Lands (Department of Natural Resources) – online guide |
| Michigan | |
Michigan Wildlife Viewing Guide (Department of Natural Resources) – online guide |
|
| Iowa | Great River Birding Trail (Audubon) - pdf, see above | Iowa Wildlife Viewing Guide – available for purchase Wildlife Management Areas (Department of Natural Resources) – online guide (not user friendly) |
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| Missouri | Great River Birding Trail (Audubon) - pdf, see above | Missouri IBA: map pdf | Directory of Natural Areas (Department of Conservation)– online guide (not user friendly) |
| Illinois | Great River Birding Trail (Audubon) - pdf, see above Chicago Region Birding Trail Guide (Bird Conservation Network and the Chicago Department of the Environment) – pdf or available by phone Birding in Illinois (Department of Natural Resources) – online guide (an interactive map would have been more useful) |
Illinois IBA: online map/list | Wildlife and Nature Sites (Department of Natural Resources) – online guide (the map isn’t very helpful) |
| Indiana | Indiana IBA: online map/guide |
Indiana Wildlife Viewing Guide – available for purchase Fish and Wildlife Areas (Department of Natural Resources) – online guide |
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| Ohio | Appalachian Discovery: Birding and Heritage Trail (Nature Conservancy) – online guide Hocking Valley Birding Areas – online guide |
Ohio IBA: online map/list | Ohio Wildlife Viewing Guide – available for purchase Watchable Wildlife Viewing Sites (Department of Natural Resources) – online guide (a map would have been useful, not all links work) |
Northeast (New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey)
| Birding Trail/Map | Important Birding Areas (IBA) | Wildlife Guides & Areas | |
| New York | Lake Champlain Birding Trail (Audubon) - email to receive a free map Niagara Birding Trail/Nature Tourism in Buffalo-Niagara Guide (Audubon) – pdf |
New York IBA: map/list pdf | New York Wildlife Viewing Guide (Department of Environmental Conservation) – sample listing online or available for purchase |
| Vermont | Lake Champlain Birding Trail (Audubon) - email to receive a free map Connecticut River Birding Trail – available for donations + postage 3 maps: Southern, Central, Northern |
Vermont Wildlife Viewing Guide – available for purchase Wildlife Area (Fish & Wildlife Department) – online guide/pdf |
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| New Hampshire | Connecticut River Birding Trail – available for donations + postage 3 maps: Southern, Central, Northern |
New Hampshire IBA: map/list pdf | New Hampshire Wildlife Viewing Guide (Fish & Game Department) – available for purchase Wildlife Management Areas (Fish & Game Department) – online list/guide/pdf maps |
| Maine | Maine Birding Trail (Audubon) – pdf 15 regions: Southern Maine, Greater Portland, Merrymeeting, Midcoast, Acadia, Downeast, Western Lakes, Central Maine, Bangor, Western Mountains, Moosehead, North Maine Woods, Katahdin, Aroostook |
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| Massachusetts | Essex County Birding Trail (Department of Conservation and Recreation) – online guide | Massachusetts IBA: online map/list | Massachusetts Wildlife Viewing Guide – available for purchase Wildlife Management Area Maps – online guide/pdf maps Outdoor Recreation Map (Division of Fisheries & Wildlife) - pdf |
| Connecticut | Connecticut Coastal Birding Trail – still under development | Wildlife Management Area (Department of Environmental Management) – online/pdf maps | |
| Rhode Island | Rhode Island Coastal Birding Trail – pdf | ||
| Pennsylvania | Susquehanna Birding Trail (Audubon) - online guide, available for order | Pennsylvania IBA: online map/guide | Pennsylvania Wildlife: A Viewer's Guide (Fish & Boat Commission) – available for purchase |
| Maryland | DeMarVa Birding Guide – online guide (includes Delaware, Maryland & Virginia) | Maryland IBA: online map/guide | Wildlife Management Areas (Department of Natural Resources) – online guide |
| Delaware | Upper Delaware Birding Trail (Audubon) – under development DeMarVa Birding Guide – online guide (includes Delaware, Maryland & Virginia) |
Wildlife Management Area (Hunting; Division of Fish & Wildlife) – online list/pdf map (no descriptions) | |
| New Jersey | New Jersey Birding Trails (Audubon) – call to ask for publications 2 online guides: Delaware Bayshore, NJ Meadowlands |
New Jersey IBA: map/list pdf | New Jersey Wildlife Guide – available for purchase Wildlife Management Area (Department of Environmental Protection) – online list/pdf map (no descriptions) |
Southeast (Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia, Arkansas, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida)
| Birding Trail/Map | Important Birding Areas (IBA) | Wildlife Guides & Areas | |
| Kentucky | Wildlife Trails in Kentucky – online guide Kentucky Wildlife Viewing Guide – available for purchase Kentucky Wildlife Management Areas (Department of Fish & Wildlife Resources – online guide |
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| West Virginia | Bird Watching Areas (Division of Natural Resources) – list | West Virginia Wildlife Viewing Guide (Department of Natural Resources) – available for purchase Wildlife Management Areas (Department of Natural Resources) – online guide |
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| Virginia | Virginia Birding & Wildlife Trail (Department of Game and Inland Fisheries) – online guide 3 trails: Coastal, Mountain, Piedmont DeMarVa Birding Guide – online guide (includes Delaware, Maryland & Virginia) |
Wildlife Management Areas (Department of Game & Inland Fisheries) – online guide | |
| Arkansas | Arkansas IBA: online map/guide | Arkansas Watchable Wildlife Guide (Game & Fish Commission) – available for purchase Wildlife Management Areas (Game & Fish Commission) – online guide |
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| Tennessee | Tennessee Wildlife Viewing Guide – available for purchase Wildlife Management Areas (Wildlife Resources Agency) – online guide/pdf maps |
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| North Carolina | North Carolina Birding Trail (Audubon et al.) – pdf (a pain to download each section) 3 maps: Coast, Piedmont, Mountains |
North Carolina IBA: pdf | North Carolina Wildlife Viewing Guide (Wildlife Resources Commission) – available for purchase Game Lands (Wildlife Resources Commission) – pdf maps |
| South Carolina | Managed Lands (Department of Natural Resources) – online guide | ||
| Louisiana | American’s Wetland Birding Trail of the LA Great Gulf Coast (Office of Tourism) – pdf 12 loops: Creole Nature Trail All-American Road-Sabine and Creole, Jean Lafitte Scenic Byway – Lacassine and Vermilion, Promised Land Scenic Byway – Atchafalaya, Bayou Teche Scenic Byway – St. Mary, San Bernardo Scenic Byway – Orleans, Cultural Wetlands Scenic Byway – Terrebonne and Grand Isle, Barataria, Louisiana Scenic Bayou Scenic Byway - West and East Florida Parishes Grand Isle Birding Trail (Nature Conservancy) – online guide or available at visitor center |
Louisiana Wildlife Worth Viewing Guide (Department of Wildlife & Fisheries) – available for purchase Wildlife Management Areas (Department of Wildlife & Fisheries) – online guide |
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| Mississippi | Mississippi Coastal Birding Trail (Audubon) - contact for a map |
Wildlife Management Areas (Department of Wildlife, Fisheries & Parks) – online guide Mississippi Wildlife Viewing Guide (Department of Wildlife, Fisheries & Parks) – available for purchase |
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| Alabama | Alabama Birding Trail (Department of Conservation and Natural Resources) – online guide 5 trails: Tennessee Valley Talon, Highland Flyers, Riverbend Gliders, Riverbend Gliders, Winged Plains Trail Alabama Coastal Birding Trail (6 loops) – pdf North Alabama Birding – pdf or online guide |
Where to Watch Wildlife (Department of Conservation & Natural Resources) – online guide | |
| Georgia | Colonial Coast Birding Trail (Department of Natural Resources) – online guide Southern Rivers Birding Trail (Department of Natural Resources) – online guide or available by phone |
Georgia IBA: online map/list | |
| Florida | Great Florida Birding Trail (Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission) – pdf 4 trails available + updates: East, West, Panhandle, South Birding Hot Spots (Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission) – online guide |
Florida Wildlife Viewing Guide – available for purchase Wildlife Management Area and Wildlife Environmental Areas (Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission) – online guide |
Protected/Managed Lands in Canada
Canadian National IBA – online lists
National Parks
Nature Conservancy Land
Protected Areas Network (Environment Canada) – online guide to National Wildlife Areas & Migratory Bird Sanctuaries
National Parks
Nature Conservancy Land
Protected Areas Network (Environment Canada) – online guide to National Wildlife Areas & Migratory Bird Sanctuaries
| Birding Trail/Map | Important Birding Areas (IBA) | Wildlife Guides & Areas | |
| Yukon Territory | Yukon Wildlife Viewing Guide (Department of Environment) – pdf | ||
| Northwest Territory | |
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| Nunavut Territory | |
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| British Columbia | British Columbia Wildlife Viewing Guide (Fish & Wildlife Branch) – online guide And many publications for download |
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| Alberta | Alberta Wildlife Viewing Guide (Sustainable Resource Development) – online guide |
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| Saskatchewan | Saskatchewan Bird Trail Experience – pdf | |
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| Manitoba | Manitoba IBA – pdf | Manitoba Wildlife Viewing Guide – online guide | |
| Ontario | |||
| Quebec | |||
| Newfoundland/ Labrador |
Newfoundland/Labrador Park & Natural Areas (Environment and Conservation) – long list of pdf | ||
| New Brunswick | |||
| Nova Scotia | Discover Nova Scotia – guide available for purchase |
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| Prince Edward Island |
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Do not use without author's consent Email: NW_Birder@yahoo.com |