An essential guide to bird identification in this wilderness region

Voyageurs National Park, on the Minnesota-Ontario border, is beloved by campers, canoeists, kayakers, hikers, and bird-watchers. Its solitude offers a relatively undisturbed habitat, and its unusually varied ecosystem-the open water of large lakes, wetlands, and upland forests-provides a unique home for its bird population. Indeed, Voyageurs encompasses some of the greatest diversity of bird life in North America with over one hundred species known to breed within the park and even more nonbreeding visitors.

This book describes one hundred of Voyageurs’ most commonly seen birds-from the familiar Common Loon to more unusual species such as the Black-Backed Three-Toed Woodpecker and the Mourning Warbler. Each entry includes a full-color photograph, a detailed description, behavioral information, and tips for where to go in the park to see these birds. Here we learn that more than half of the warblers of eastern North America can be found in the Voyageurs environs. And we are given explanations for surprising facts such as the paucity of sandpipers in the park (it has few of the sandy beaches and mudflats they require) and the influence of beavers on the bird species that reside there.

Voyageurs is one of the best birding destinations in the national park system. Until now there was no adequate resource for those wishing to enjoy its singular combination of species and habitats. This richly illustrated volume fills that void. Not only informational, it will also be a cherished memento for visitors to the Minnesota-Ontario border country and an inspiration for those planning such a trip.

The Voyageurs Region National Park Association was formed in 1965 to work for the creation of Voyageurs National Park. Since the park’s authorization by Congress in 1971, the organization has worked to preserve the natural, recreational, and historic resources of Voyageurs National Park and to promote public enjoyment of the park.

Distributed for the Voyageurs Region National Park Association.