The Biggest Year in the Life of an Extreme Birder: A Review

In 1998, a group of competitive birders set out on a year-long quest to see as many bird species as possible in North America. The group was led by Sandy Komito, a world-renowned birder who had already seen more than 7,000 species. The other members of the team were Kenn Kaufman, a renowned birding author, and John Weigel, a young birder who was just starting to make his mark in the competitive birding world.

The team's goal was to see more than 700 species of birds in a single year, a feat that had only been accomplished by a handful of people. To achieve this goal, the team traveled more than 100,000 miles and visited every state and province in North America. They braved extreme weather conditions, including hurricanes, snowstorms, and heat waves. They also faced challenges from other birders, who were determined to beat them to the finish line.

Kingbird Highway: The Biggest Year in the Life of an Extreme Birder

by Kenn Kaufman

4.7 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	5031 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	338 pages
Lending	:	Enabled

FREE

Despite the challenges, the team managed to see an incredible 749 species of birds in a single year, setting a new world record. Their journey was chronicled in the book "The Biggest Year in the Life of an Extreme Birder" by Mark Obmascik. The book is a fascinating look at the world of competitive birding, and it offers a unique perspective on the beauty and diversity of the natural world.

The World of Competitive Birding

Competitive birding is a sport that involves identifying and counting as many bird species as possible in a given time period or area. The sport is governed by the American Birding Association (ABA),which sets the rules and regulations for competitive birding. There are different types of competitive birding events, including big years, county big years, and state big years.

Big years are the most extreme type of competitive birding event. In a big year, birders attempt to see as many bird species as possible in North America in a single year. The current world record for a big year is 749 species, set by Sandy Komito, Kenn Kaufman, and John Weigel in 1998.

County big years and state big years are similar to big years, but they are limited to a specific county or state. The rules for county big years and state big years are set by the ABA, and they vary from state to state.

The Journey of a Lifetime

The Biggest Year in the Life of an Extreme Birder is a chronicle of the team's year-long quest to see 700 bird species in North America. The book is a fascinating look at the world of competitive birding, and it offers a unique perspective on the beauty and diversity of the natural world.

The book is divided into four parts, each of which covers a different season of the year. The first part of the book follows the team as they travel to the southern United States in search of wintering birds. The second part of the book follows the team as they travel to the western United States in search of spring migrants. The third part of the book follows the team as they travel to the northern United States in search of summer breeders. The fourth part of the book follows the team as they travel to the eastern United States in search of fall migrants.

The book is filled with beautiful photographs of birds and stunning descriptions of the natural world. The team's journey is also filled with challenges, including hurricanes, snowstorms, and heat waves. But through it all, the team never gives up on their dream of seeing 700 bird species in a single year.

A Must-Read for Birders and Nature Lovers

The Biggest Year in the Life of an Extreme Birder is a must-read for bird

Kingbird Highway: The Biggest Year in the Life of an Extreme Birder

by Kenn Kaufman

4.7 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	5031 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	338 pages
Lending	:	Enabled

FREE