In the end, I visited forty-one countries on seven continents and spent about $60,000 on travel, lodging, food, guiding, gear, and carbon offsets during the year. With a strict budget, I spent just about what I earned writing a blog and a book. One of the biggest misconceptions about international travel is that it is prohibitively expensive. In truth, the cost of living in most of the world is much cheaper than in the United States if you’re willing to act like a local. It’s ultimately a matter of priorities: Would you rather drive a nice SUV or see the world? To me, $10 per bird seemed like a small price to pay.
On a personal level, the Big Year affirmed my lifelong dedication to birds. When I set out, I knew that I’d witness a heap of incredible species in exotic places, but I couldn’t have foreseen how the quest would touch so many people, at home and abroad, who followed my progress. What began as a quiet adventure became a grassroots movement of environmental inspiration. My greatest lesson was that birding is a nearly universal interest, represented even in the farthest corners of the Earth. The future of birds on our planet is uncertain, but with so many people who care, I can’t help but be optimistic. By working together across all kinds of borders, we can help make sure the next generation enjoys birds, too.
At the end of the year, I looked forward to returning home. I wanted to see friends and family again—and I was bowled over when fifty people surprised me at my local airport with welcome banners, balloons, and signs. On the first day home, I saw a Golden-crowned Sparrow in my backyard, which I hadn’t seen during the Big Year. A month after the New Year, I celebrated my thirtieth birthday at a Mexican restaurant, eating plates of guacamole, the food I’d missed the most while traveling. I began other projects, including writing this book and beginning another book about birds, and returned to Antarctica, the place where my Big Year started. Life continued, and I kept watching birds.
Meanwhile, the minute I finished my world Big Year, the Dutchman, Arjan Dwarshuis, started his own Big Year in 2016, and began at a dizzying pace. I wished him luck, not just with the numbers, but with the adventure. Others will tackle the challenge in years to come, and will find ways to take it in new directions.
For anyone considering a round-the-world trip, here’s some advice: pack light, go hard, and stay flexible. Don’t be afraid to take detours, even if they are off the beaten path. Go solo when you can. Keep it personal, but don’t make it about yourself. Tip well, smile often, and say thank you. If someone offers you a gift, take it graciously. Learn to say hello in the local language. Know that the world is much friendlier than it often seems, and don’t be paranoid. Eat the street food—it’s tasty, cheap, and healthy—and talk with the vendors. If a problem can be resolved for $20, spend it and move on. Hang out with locals as much as possible, respecting that their culture may be different from yours. Above all, don’t let fear get in the way—everyone is afraid of something, but the worst that can happen is to never go at all.
✧-✧-✧
At 11 P.M. on New Year’s Eve, in the dense forest outside the city of Tinsukia in India’s Assam province, Ramit, Binanda, Bidyut, another birder named Pritam Baruah, and I heard something whistle tremulously in the dark. We stood still, listening. The five of us had spent the afternoon walking through the forest, and lingered after sundown to try for owls.
“Well, it’s not a Spot-bellied Eagle-Owl,” said Binanda, discerningly. The eagle-owl’s call is a single descending cry, unlike this whistle, which repeated in a series of mournful notes. I didn’t really hope to find an eagle-owl this evening—my only reasonable chance for a new species after the Silver-breasted Broadbill—but figured we might as well stay up until midnight.
“It does sound like some kind of owl, though,” whispered Ramit. “I think it’s an Oriental Bay-Owl!”
All of us had turned our flashlights off. We stood still, with hands cupped around our ears to amplify the noise. When the whistle sounded for a third time, there could be no doubt.
“Yes,” Binanda said. “That’s definitely a bay-owl.”
I’d already seen an Oriental Bay-Owl months earlier in Malaysia, so this was nothing new for the Big Year, but it was unexpected in this spot. Bay-owls are rare in India, occurring only in this far northeast corner of the country. Ramit probably had more experience with the species than any other Indian birder, and this was only his fourth encounter.
“Let’s try to see it!” he said.
Pritam turned a spotlight on the trees. After a few seconds of careful scanning, he located the bird: a twelve-inch-tall, fluffy-bodied owl with a heart-shaped face and round, black eyes clung to an upright twig at eye level. Reflexively, I raised my camera to snap a photo. My heart skipped as I squeezed the shutter, the bird filling the frame.
“Wow,” breathed Ramit. “As far as I know, that’s the first-ever photograph of a wild bay-owl in India!”
We admired the view for a few more seconds before Pritam switched off the light, not wanting to disturb the owl. As the five of us resumed walking through the dark forest, I could hear the bay-owl’s call behind us gradually fade into the distance. It was the last bird I’d see in 2015, but I didn’t feel sad. All the same birds would still be around tomorrow, inviting more adventures.
Shortly after midnight we all turned in to bed, agreeing to set our alarms for 5 A.M. I’d flown halfway around the planet to reach this remote province and figured I might as well stay awhile with my new friends. In the morning, the New Year would bring a fresh dawn chorus to one of Earth’s most diverse forests, and I would be out there, looking for birds.
Acknowledgments
When I first teased my literary agent, Russell Galen, of the Scovil Galen Ghosh Literary Agency, with the loony scheme to dash around the world looking at birds for a year, he didn’t flinch. Russ is a rare species—he knows words as well as birds—and the idea for this book was hatched with his vision and encouragement. I will always appreciate Russ for a dream come true.
I am especially grateful to Lisa White, my editor at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, for her unflagging enthusiasm and follow-through at each step of the project. Without her commitment, the world Big Year might not have happened, and her skill and hard work helped this book fledge. I am also indebted to assistant editor Emily Snyder, jacket designer Martha Kennedy, production editor Beth Burleigh Fuller, publicist Taryn Roeder, marketing managers Katrina Kruse and Liz Anderson, copy editor Loma Huh, proofreader Diana Coe, legal consultant Loren Isenberg, designers Eugenie Delaney and Chloe Foster, compositor Margaret Rosewitz, and indexer Sheila Ryan for their excellent contributions to the book.
Susan Matthews, former senior web editor for the National Audubon Society, and former Audubon consulting editor Will Bourne built a beautiful page for the Birding Without Borders blog on Audubon’s website. During the year, Susan carefully edited, posted, and promoted my daily dispatches—often received at weird hours—while photo editor Camilla Cerea sorted through the images. Thanks to the whole Audubon web team for relaying this story in real time. I am also grateful to Jennie Duberstein, coordinator of the Sonoran Joint Venture, for her help with Twitter updates.
Nothing is more important to a birder than optics, and my Leicas held up to a rigorous field test. Jeff Bouton, marketing manager at Leica Sport Optics, generously supplied binoculars, a spotting scope, and a camera, giving me crystal-clear views and photographs of thousands of birds in the field.
You can go birding without borders, but not without plane tickets and visas! Thanks to everyone at AirTreks for finding the best way to get there from here: Adam Seper, Daniel Gamber, Kristina Ketelsen, Becky Kiner, Nai Piangjai, Valerie Depeyrot, Anthy Kapsalis, and Barbara Segria. And the people at VisaHQ have my respect for sorting out an impossible tangle of visa issues: Trevin Barker, Yulla-May Nicolas, Tom Schrandt, Keith Lamphier, Christopher Wizda, and Claire Malekian.
My mom and dad, Lisa Strycker and Bob Keefer, took some deep breaths when I told them about my plan to spend a year in some of the world’s most
far-flung corners—then they smiled and said, “Go for it!” From their sneaky care packages to their willingness to pick up the phone at 2 A.M. when I called in tears with a fever in Peru, I am one lucky son. Being a parent must be the most thankless job of all, and their eternal support and encouragement have helped me follow my dreams to the ends of the Earth and back.
✧-✧-✧
Of course, none of this would have been remotely possible without the hundreds of birders who hosted and accompanied me during my Big Year. The kindness of the international birding community just blew me away, and I am humbled at the generosity of the human spirit; I’ll spend the rest of my life paying it forward. To list every person who supported this adventure—hospitality staff, drivers, friends, dinner companions, commenters, advice givers, blog and book readers—would be impossible. But here, in alphabetical order by country, is an account of the birders I met in the field. My heartfelt thank-you goes out to everyone, as well as my apologies to anyone whose name I missed.
Antarctica: One Ocean Expeditions, Steve Bailey. Argentina: Esteban Daniels, Rogelio “Roger” Espinosa, Freddy Burgos, Claudia Martin, Yoshitharo Kuroki, Fabricio “Fabri” Gorleri, José Segovia, Guy Cox, Patricio Ramírez Llorens, Marcelo Gavensky, Sergio Castedo, Martin Farina, Norbert Fratt, Kate Rooney, the farmers of Cerro Negro. Australia: Del Richards, John and Peta Nott, Mark Christiansen, Perry Marshall, Jeremy Ringma, Megan Barnes, Nick Leseberg, Richard Nowotny, Simon Starr, Sean Dooley, Dave Torr, Ian Denham, Mark Buckby, Michael Ramsey, Philip Peel, Frank O’Connor. Australia–Tasmania: Mona Loofs-Samorzewski, Els Wakefield, Nicole Sommer, Rob Hamilton. Brazil: Guto Carvalho, Marco and Patricia Antonio, Luis Avelino, René Santos, Jonas d’Abronzo, Giuliano Bernardon, Eloir Bernardon, Bianca Bernardon, Mario M. S. Timiraos, Fabiano Oliveira, Alex Lees, Nárgila Gomes De Moura, Leonardo Patrial. Cameroon: Benjamin “Benji” Jayin Jomi, Ntomnifor Richard Fru, Albert Aloebade, Sangale Guidjelie Merveille. Chile: Fred Homer, Fernando Díaz Segovia, Rodrigo Silva. China: Geraint “Sid” Francis. Colombia: Jim Danzenbaker, Bruce LaBar, Ryan Shaw, Luis Arturo Gómez, Leonor Pardo, Juan Ortíz, Juan Pablo López Ordóñez, Juan Diego Castillo Ramírez, Oswaldo Cortes, Giovanni Alberto Chaves Portilla, Lorenzo Bautista, Gabo Utria, José Luis Pushaina, Christopher Calonje, Juan José Arango, Anabel Vanin, José Luna, David Bancroft, Jeffrey Cooper, Albeiro Uribe, Diego Calderón-Franco, Gleison Fernando Guarin Largo. Costa Rica: Roy Orozco, Johan Fernández, Lisa Erb, Adrian Arroyo. Ecuador: Xavier Muñoz, Mercedes Rivadeneira, Manuel Sánchez, José Gallardo, Forrest Rowland, Edison Buenaño, Ángel Paz, Sergio Bastantes, Jarol Fernando Vaca, Renato Espinosa. Germany: Peter and Kimberly Kaestner. Ghana: Kalu Afasi, Ziblim Illiasu, Jonathan Tsey, Robert Tindana, Cobby Kwabena Tawiah, Yaw Boateng. Guatemala: John Cahill, Rob Cahill, Tara Cahill, Carlos Aguilar, Pablo Chumil, Juan Chocoy, Max Noack. Iceland: Yann Kolbeinsson. India: Harsha Jayaramaiah, Junis F. S., Manoj Balraj, Sanu Sasi, Dhanesh Ayyappan, Eldhose K. V., Siddha Kuruvi, Ramit Singal, Dinesh Singal, Rakesh Ahlawat, Surat Singh Poonia, Abhishek Gulshan, Rohit Chakravarty, Sudhir Oswal, Pankaj Gupta, Taksh Sangwan, Hari Lama, Swati Sidhu, Hari Krishnan, Bishop H. G. Kuriakose Mor Eusebius, Bidyut Gogoi, Binanda Hathibaruah, Deborshee Gogoi, Pritam Baruah, Ranjan Kumar Das, Shashank Dalvi, Anish Aravind, Divya Mudappa, Kalyan Varma, Panchapakesan Jeganathan, Prashanth N. S., T. R. Shankar Raman, Tanya Seshadri, Raphy Kallettumkara, Sheeba Nanjan, Abhijith Surendran, Premchand Reghuvaran, Shah Jahan, Sumesh B., Arun Lal, Renjus Box, Vaisakh George, Birders Ezhupunna. Indonesia–Bali: Pak Yudi. Indonesia–Sulawesi: Mohamad Naliko (Monal Capellone), Adrianus Sampali, Yarsen Keba, Anes Pianaung. Jamaica: Elizabeth Ames, Barbara Heindl, Jay Wright, Tom Ryan. Kenya: Joseph Aengwo, Alan Grenon, David Ngala, Wilson Tiren, Justus Mwangi, Lazarus Kariuki, Eunice Thairu. Madagascar: Genot Andriamihaja, Jacky Ratiantsihoarana, Luc Rajarisoa. Malaysia–Borneo: Gary Albert, John Bakar, Cede Prudente, Robert Ong, Noredah Othman, Andrew Siani, Denis Degullacion, Kenneth Tizon, Ali Suffri, Ron Pudin, Winston Pudin, Jason Azahari Reyes, Andy Lee, Borneo Bird Club. Malaysia–Peninsula: Cheong Weng Chun, Azlina Mokhtar, Mohd Hazhman, Woei Ong. Mexico: Eric Antonio Martínez, Jilly Rod-ríguez Méndez, René Valdés, Phil Hansbro, Francisco García, Bryan Sharp, Viviana Sofia, Fernanda García-Triana, Durango Bird Club. Myanmar: Gideon Dun, Thiri Htin Hla. New Zealand: Harry Boorman, Chris Gaskin. Norway: Bjørn Olav Tveit. Panama: Guido Berguido, Linda Harrison, Jerry Harrison, Panama Audubon Society, Rosabel Miró, Yenifer Díaz, Stephany Carty. Papua New Guinea: Leonard Vaieke, Walter North, Joseph Tano, Joseph Ando, Joseph Yenmoro, David Dau, Cheyne Benjamin. Peru: Gunnar Engblom, Alejandro Tello, Carlos Altamirano, Glenn Sibbald, Juan Julca, Francisco Vásquez, Noam Shany, José Luis Avendaño, Percy Avendaño, Silverio Duri, Julio Benites, Jeff Woodman. Philippines: Nicky Icarangal, Cristy Burlace, Emiliano “Blackie” Lumiston, Ramil Lumiston, Adrian Constantino. Singapore: Con Foley. South Africa and Lesotho: Wayne Jones, Adam Riley, Callan Cohen, Mike Buckham, Jean Buckham, Tommy Buckham, Adam Buckham, Jack Buckham, Emma Buckham, Ethan Kistler, Billi Krochuk, Klas Magnus Karlsson, Brian Rapoza, Alan Mitchnick, Martha Miller, Janine Gregory, Cliff Dorse, Greg de Klerk, Nelis Wolmarans. Spain: Gorka Gorospe, Farran López, Ricard Gutiérrez, Nacho Dies. Sri Lanka: Ashoka, Chandima Jayaweera. Taiwan: Wayne Hsu, Kuan-Chieh “Chuck” Hung, Tsai-Yu Wu, Da-Li Lin, Richard Foster, Jo-Szu “Ross” Tsai, Yukun Chen, Cynthia Su, Rodney Yang, Scott Lin. Tanzania: Anthony Raphael, Roger Msengi, Harv Schubothe, Kelle Herrick, David Heath. Thailand: Panuwat “Par” Sasirat, Kampol “Tui” Sukhumalind, Udorn “Nang” Jantboworn. Turkey: Emin Yogurtçuoglu, Ahmet Karatas, Mustafa Çulcuoglu. Uganda: Livingstone Kalema, Rolf de By, Amos Monday. United Arab Emirates: Oscar Campbell, Mark Smiles. United States: Michael Retter, John Yerger, Scott Olmstead, Erin Olmstead, Jake Mohlmann, Dave Bell, Lance Benner, Frank Gilliland, Susan Gilliland, Dessi Sieburth, Luke Tiller, Anne Heyerly, Dan Heyerly, Peter Thiemann, Marshall Iliff, Tim Spahr, Tim Lenz, Tom Schulenberg, Bob Behrstock, Mary Gustafson, Tom Ford-Hutchinson.
Appendix 1
Gear for a Big Year
40-liter REI Vagabond Tour 40 Travel Pack
Tumi luggage tag
Leica 10x42 Ultravid HD-Plus binoculars
Leica 65 mm Televid spotting scope with tripod
Leica V-Lux camera
GoPro Hero3 video camera with selfie stick
11” MacBook Air laptop
iPhone 6 (and iPhone 4) with an international phone plan
iPod nano and headphones
SureFire Fury LED flashlight with rechargeable batteries
Green laser pointer
Yalumi LED headlamp
Sea to Summit silk sleeping bag liner
Set of adapter plugs for the world
Two passports
Two notebooks
Two Sharpie pens
Oakley sunglasses
Fossil watch
Asics GEL-Enduro 7 trail running shoes
Four Mountain Hardwear Wicked Lite short-sleeved T-shirts
Columbia Sportswear rain shell
Marmot down jacket
Two pairs of ExOfficio field pants
Three pairs of ExOfficio Give-N-Go boxer underwear
Two long-sleeved ExOfficio BugsAway insect-repelling shirts with sun protection
Two pairs of SmartWool socks
Two pairs of cotton Balega socks
Wildy Adventure anti-leech socks
Two bandanas
Plain black baseball cap
REI Campware spoon
Israeli water-purification tablets
Antimalarial pills
First-aid kit
Assorted toiletries (comb, lip balm, eye drops, toenail clippers, tweezers, toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, aspirin, Imodium, sunscreen)
Appendix 2
Big Year Snapshot
Country
Days
Total
New
Unique
New per Day
Unique per Day
% New
% Unique
Antarctica/Falklands
8
54
54
30
7
4
100%
56%
Argentina
12
374
101
31
8
86%
23%
Chile
4
137
107
43
27
11
78%
31%
Brazil
19
684
446
237
23
12
65%
35%
Peru
21
784
488
242
23
12
62%
31%
Ecuador
12
625
251
109
21
9
40%
17%
Colombia
27
749
260
173
10
6
35%
23%
Panama
3
299
69
33
23
11
23%
11%
Jamaica
3
121
61
43
20
14
50%
36%
Costa Rica
7
411
158
95
23
14
38%
23%
Guatemala
5
260
94
28
19
6
36%