t seems as though birds are in constant motion, migrating north and south, flying from nesting locations to feeding sites, searching for food, searching for mates, nesting, caring for young, and chasing competitors and predators. Some birders seem to be in constant motion, too, but that makes sense. There are a lot of birds to see, and it is exciting to visit different birding hotspots during the prime times of the year when vast flocks of a variety of species can be observed and photographed.

A few birding hotshots know where the best birding hotspots are located and when to visit them. Each month, WildBird provides a detailed "Birder's Guide" to top birding locations to help you learn more about one of the best birding locations in North America. Here, in this Special 10th Anniversary Issue of WildBird, I offer a list of the top 50 birding locations in North America and where to get more information about them. Short descriptions are provided for "the best" 20 birding sites.

Although the 50 birding hotspots have been given numerical designations, this treatment is not necessarily indicative that one birding location is better than another. Have some fun with these lists; check off the locations you have visited and add any you believe should be included in this top 50 list -- make your own state and national lists.

Better yet, plan to visit as many of these prime birding locations and check off the number of species you see, write about your favorite experiences and document as many sightings as possible with photographs. We hope this list of the top 50 birding hotspots in North America will inspire every birder to seek out new birding experiences at different, exciting locations across the country.