Birding: Rocky Mountain National Park

Birders from across the country and around the world come to Rocky Mountain National Park every year to find white-tailed ptarmigan, black swifts, northern pygmy-owls, and other high-elevation specialties of the Rockies. In "Birding Rocky Mountain National Park," author Scott Roederer provides a close-up look at eight of the best birding areas in the popular national park. Applying his thirty years of birding experience in "Rocky," Roederer dedicates an entire chapter to each area, offering unprecedented detail in describing where to park, where to walk, what species to expect, and much more.

Want to find that white-tailed ptarmigan? The guide identifies specific locations to look for it, describing not only when and where to go but even how to walk the area in its specilized habitat to best find this elusive bird. Need a black swift for your life list? Forget the arduous hike usually recommended for this hard-to-find species; Roederer knows where to find them roadside in an area of the park not covered in other guides.

The book reveals the best times to visit Rocky Mountain National Park, and it also includes valuable information on trip planning. There’s even a chapter covering nearby briding areas, including one local hot spot where 227 species have been recorded. The author concludes with a species-by-species birdfinding guide, with information on when and where to find each species, including special tips for difficult-to-locate birds. Maps show each area in detail and beautiful illustrations by Estes Park artist Scott Rashid further enliven this indispensable guide.

"Rocky Mountain National Park has world-class birding, but you have to know just where to go. On my own past visits I have relied on the phenomenal knowledge of Scott Roederer; and with this book in hand, you can too. Scott’s presentation is detailed, authoritative, in-depth, and essential. No birder or naturalist should visit the park with out this book." —Kenn Kaufman