State-based Birding Information

Each state has its own birding personality, good birding locations, events and bird clubs.

Select your state of interest from the list on the left for specific information.

Each state (except Hawaii) has a mini-guide with 50 common species for that state. The mini-guides, called the Nifty-Fifty, include images, songs, movies (most species) and descriptions for the selected species. Please allow time for the mini-guides to load, as the Flash program is large.

Each mini-guide includes 25 of the most commonly reported birds (for that state), based on the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's Project Feeder Watch. Additional species were selected based on a variety of criteria, including:

• Often seen
• Colorful
• Offer comparisons of similar species
• Increase diversity of bird families represented

Adjacent states will usually have only a few different species, but those differences do add up. Over 200 species are represented in the mini-guides.

If you are relatively new to birding, the following states are well known for offering excellent birding opportunities.

• Arizona
• California
• Florida
• Texas

Coastal regions often provide a variety of habitat and birds.

Check the Birding Hot Spots section for 25 excellent birding locations.

Here is a short-cut list for the bird guides for 49 states.

Allen's Hummingbird is found in the western United States.