Birding, after all, is just a game. Going beyond that is what is important.

We don't have to go to wild places to find wildlife. A surprisingly wide range of species can be found in our sities and towns, from familiar animals like the raccoon to more exotic ones like the mountain lion.

Birds ... are sensitive indicators of the environment, a sort of "ecological litmus paper," ... The observation and recording of bird populations over time lead inevitably to environmental awareness and can signal impending changes.

Not all is doom and gloom. We are beginning to understand the natural world and are gaining a reverence for life - all life.

The more you look, the more you will see.

I can recognize the calls of practically every bird in North America. There are some in Africa I don't know, though

Birding, after all, is just a game. Going beyond that is what is important.