The Biggest Year in American Birding - by Nicholas Komar (Paperback)

About the Book

Nick Komar establishes a new birding world record, seeing the most species in a single year in the USA and all its Territories including Alaska, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, Guam and other Pacific Islands.

Book Synopsis

Nicholas Komar set out on a yearlong effort to establish a new world record, finding the most species of birds in a single year in the USA and its Territories. His mammoth effort included not only a wide swath of the US states but also Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. His adventures took him to some of the best birding locations in the USA. He traveled to Alaska's Aleutian and Bering Sea Islands, the volcanos of Hawaii, the Rio Grande Valley of Texas, Arizona's sky islands, the Florida Everglades, and dozens of other spots across the western hemisphere. Nicholas faced several challenges, including his own struggles with Parkinson's Disease, and some associated close calls while driving at night. Despite his fear of the ocean, Nick spent parts of 17 days at sea. Birding every day put a strain on his family and friends, but he also made new personal connections that deeply affected him during his odyssey. The book will be of interest to anyone considering doing a birding Big Year and should inspire all Parkinson's Disease patients to follow their dreams despite their affliction. How long will his new world record last? Enjoy Nicholas's book and use it as your inspiration to break his record.

Review Quotes

The Biggest Year in American Birding is an absolute joy to read! Whether you're an avid birder or just love the outdoors, this book will pull you right in. Nick's passion for birding and storytelling makes every page come alive!

-David McQuade (Multi-year Big Year birder)

Birders love Big Years. The bigger the better. Enter Nicholas Komar, who set out to accomplish a birding feat never before attempted, encompassing all U.S. states and overseas territories. And he did it! -all the more impressive since he's living with Parkinson's disease. The Biggest Year is a romp-a Big Year on steroids.

-Ted Floyd (Editor, Birding Magazine & author, National Geographic Field Guides)

Nicholas Komar's rich exposition of his 2023 quest to see 900 species in the greater United States (including territories) is an entertaining and informative read. So much more than a book about birds and birding, this story reveals layers of the many human relationships so important to his success.

-Peter Kaestner (First to observe 10,000 bird species)

Here's a birding adventure story that is about more than birding adventures-it's about finding joy and beauty while battling an incurable disease. In his year chasing rare species from the tropics to the Arctic, mountains to the Everglades, Nick Komar offers an inspiring example of what's possible in the natural world, and in one man's very strong heart.

-Mark Obmascik (Author, The Big Year: A Tale of Man, Nature, and Fowl Obsession)

Nicholas reimagines the Big Year by counting the U.S. and its far-flung territories -turning the chase into an ocean-and-islands odyssey. Pursuing the record while living with Parkinson's and highlighting relationships forged along the way makes it as much a human journey as a birding quest. The result is novel and genuinely inspiring-a blueprint for chasing big dreams despite life's challenges.

- Chris Wood (Cornell Lab of Ornithology/eBird)

What an interesting quest to establish a benchmark record by adding current U.S. territories in the Caribbean and Pacific [to the USA]. This is a fun read reliving iconic birding sites and opening our eyes to novel birding locales in our territories.

-Peter Alden (Author, National Audubon Society regional field guides)

Do you want to break a Big Year birding record? Nick Komar shows you how. Start by ignoring any handicaps-for him, it was Parkinson's disease. With fine wit, he introduces you to birds, birding hotspots and birders across the USA, including the territories from Puerto Rico to Guam. Birding is addictive, and after you read this book, you'll want to do your own Big Year!

-Oliver Komar (Author, Peterson Field Guide, Birds of Northern Central America)

Nick redefined the geographic limits of the Big Year. His journey took him to spots I had to Google. Yes, he set a precedent, but it's more than numbers. It's a well-written story of challenges and experiences all birders will love!

-Laura Keene (Big Year birder and Photographer)