The Heart of a Big Year
A big year isn’t just about numbers; it’s about saying yes to adventure letting birds lead you to places you never expected to go. Deciding to do a big year, or even a “little” big year, is a huge commitment. It’s a journey that will make you tired and leave your bank account a little lighter, but we can tell you from experience that it is absolutely worth every bit of effort. We feel incredibly grateful to have had this opportunity. Because we both work full-time, we weren’t sure we could reach our goal of 500 species in a single year, but we were inspired by Greg Miller’s effort in 1998, and that kept us going.
For anyone who decides to take on this challenge, you will find yourself in beautiful places and meet wonderful people. And you will learn that with careful planning, you can accomplish a lot of birding on weekends alone.
Tips For Traveling to New Places:
- Check eBird and sign up for needs alerts.
- Connect with local experts through birding email lists.
- Look for Audubon tours in the area you are visiting.
- Plan your route before booking hotels to maximize birding time.
- Rent a 4WD — you’ll probably need it.
Locations
We covered a lot of ground in 2015. Here are the must-visit states for any big year, along with the number of species we saw:
- Florida (224)
- Southeast Arizona (196)
- Texas (179)
- California (133)
- Ohio – The Biggest Week (101)
Guides
We were also fortunate to bird with some of the best guides in the business — people whose knowledge of their home landscapes helped us find birds we might have otherwise missed.
- Jeff Babson — Arizona
- Joan Collins — Adirondacks, NY
- Doug Kibbe – Colorado
- Jake Mohlmann — Texas and Arizona
- Ron Smith — Florida (go birding with him if you get the chance!)
Their expertise shaped some of our most memorable days in the field. We learned more from these guides in a few hours than we could have learned on our own in a week.
Best Birds & Toughest Misses
A look at the species that defined our year — the unforgettable highlights and the ones that kept us searching.
Best Birds
Every bird is a good bird, but some truly stand out. Here are a few that should go on your bucket list:
- Elegant Trogon
- Hummingbirds of Southeast Arizona (the sheer number of species is mind-boggling)
- American Dipper
- Northern Saw-whet Owl
- Williamson’s Sapsucker
The Misses
And, of course, there were some misses. Some birds make you work for every mile:
- Pectoral Sandpiper (numerous tries in multiple states)
- California Condor (Arizona and California)
- Green Kingfisher (Rio Grande, Texas)
- White-crowned Pigeon (Florida Keys and Southeast Florida)
- White-tailed Ptarmigan (Colorado)
.
Birding Magazine Milestone
While we waited for the official ABA rankings, we submitted our first entry to Birding Magazine.
Sharon Pratt and Mike Pratt of St. Petersburg, Florida, completed a “Little” Big Year (weekendwarbler.com) in 2015, locating 519 species in the Lower 48 states. The last bird of the year was a Williamson’s Sapsucker at Mount Wilson Observatory in the San Gabriel Mountains of California on Sunday, December 27, 2015. This was also Lower 48 life bird #562 for Sharon and #557 for Mike.
Seeing our names in print was a thrill — a small but meaningful acknowledgment of the year we’d poured so much into.
2015 ABA Rankings
The results are in and we did it! To cross the finish line of 500 species, we went coast to coast, submitted 295 eBird checklists, boarded 21 round-trip flights, and spent 72 nights in hotels. It was a whirlwind adventure that completely changed how we travel, bird, and see the world.
| Region | Rank | Count | Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lower 48 | 9 | 519 | Sharon Pratt |
| Lower 48 | 11 | 511 | Michael Pratt |
| North America | 4 | 527 | Sharon Pratt |
| North America | 5 | 519 | Michael Pratt |
Crossing 500 wasn’t just a number — it was proof that weekends, determination, and a shared love of birds can take you farther than you think.
We couldn’t possibly list everyone who helped us along the way, but we hope each of you knows how much you’re appreciated. Whether you shared an ID, a photo, a tip, or crossed paths with us in the field, you shaped our year in ways we’ll never forget. And to our non‑birder family and friends — thank you for cheering us on throughout our journey. We’ll keep sharing our birding and travel adventures, and we hope you’ll continue the journey with us.
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