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Plot

Boasting more than 220 full-color illustrations and maps, this is the perfect practical companion to the National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America. A must-have for birders everywhere, it's as useful at home as on the road, pinpointing the best places to see more than 400 species of birds from coast to coast. Beginners and casual birders will appreciate the introduction on birding basics, which offers expert advice on how to prepare for the field. Then it's on to the heart of the book, organized into thirteen regions from New England to the Southwest. Each section begins with an overview map covering several states and showing major roads and hotspots. Next, each state has separate close-up maps that identify National and State Parks, bird sanctuaries, nature trails, and many other prime birding locations. Entries give clear directions to major sites along with notes on the birds you're likely to find there, the best seasons and time of day to see them, frequent sidebars on subjects of particular interest, and much more. Each state entry closes with a list of additional key places complete with specific contact information. Finally, a comprehensive index cross-references each bird with every site where it can be found. A veritable pocket atlas of avian information, this guide will be equally useful to the novice just starting a lifelist and the advanced birder in search of an especially elusive species or a new and unique place to enjoy this enormously popular activity.