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Mark Obmascik
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The Big Year Paperback – January 1, 2005

by Mark Obmascik (Author)
4.6 out of 5 stars 618 ratings
Each year, hundreds of people set out across North America determined to set a new record in a spectacularly competitive event. Is it tennis? Golf? Racing? Poker perhaps? No, it's bird-watching, and a contest known as the Big Year - a grand, gruelling, expensive (and occasionally vicious) 365-day marathon to identify the most species. THE BIG YEAR is the rollicking chronicle of the 275,000-mile odyssey of three unlikely adventurers who take their bird-watching so seriously it nearly kills them. From Texas in pursuit of the Rufus-capped Warbler to British Columbia in search of Xantus' Hummingbird, these obsessive enthusiasts brave roasting deserts, storm-tossed oceans, infested swamps and disgruntled lions (not to mention some of the lumpiest hotel mattresses known to man) as they vie to become North America's number one bird-watcher in what would prove to be the biggest Big Year of them all...In this captivating tour of human and avian nature, of courage and deceit, of passion and paranoia, prize-winning journalist Mark Obmascik reveals the extremes to which Man will go to pursue his dreams, to conquer and to categorize - no matter how low the stakes. Wonderfully funny, acutely observed and hugely entertaining, THE BIG YEAR is a lark of a read.
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  1. Print length
    309 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Bantam
  4. Publication date
    January 1, 2005
  5. Dimensions
    5 x 0.75 x 7.8 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0553815512
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0553815511
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  1. Birding is hunting without killing, preying without punishing, and collecting without clogging your home.
    Highlighted by 110 Kindle readers
  2. South Florida for tropical species and shorebirds; northern Minnesota for owls and other cravers of cold; West Texas for desert specialties; southeast Arizona for hummingbirds and goatsuckers; the Great Plains for longspurs and inland sparrows; coastal Alaska for Eurasian breeders; Colorado for sage grouse and other wild chickens; and California and North Carolina for seabirds and land leftovers.
    Highlighted by 72 Kindle readers
  3. Monterey is one of the few places on earth with just the right convergence of parallel-to-the-coast winds, an unusually deep canyon, and rich undersea life. The result is a natural phenomenon called an upwelling.
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Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Bantam (January 1, 2005)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 309 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0553815512
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0553815511
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 7.7 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5 x 0.75 x 7.8 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 out of 5 stars 618 ratings

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Mark Obmascik

Mark Obmascik

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Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
618 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this book thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining, particularly for bird enthusiasts. They appreciate the factual content about birds and the interesting history of birding. The writing is well-executed, with one customer noting how the author comfortably explains the non-killing sport of birding in easy terms. Customers also value the character development, describing them as very real.

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95 customers mention "Readability"95 positive0 negative

Customers find the book thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining, particularly for birders, with one customer describing it as a fun journey through a year.

"...All three of these men are still much involved in birding. This is a fun read, this reader is worn out with vicariously rushing all over the..." Read more

"_The Big Year_ by Mark Obmascik was a fun and engaging look at the world of bird watching (or birding)...." Read more

"...That aside, this author has done a wonderful job pulling together the stories of the 3 men who competed that year for the Big Year record, plus..." Read more

"...After the movie with Jack Black and Steve Martin came out - a very enjoyable movie at that - there were some licenses taken, and although all were..." Read more

31 customers mention "Birding knowledge"31 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the birding knowledge in the book, noting its accurate facts about birds and interesting history of birding.

"...Birds are to be counted, not killed. Birding took off, books are written, pictured books are for observance to compare different colors, tail..." Read more

"_The Big Year_ by Mark Obmascik was a fun and engaging look at the world of bird watching (or birding)...." Read more

"...Big Year record, plus giving enough background information and history of birding to make the story exciting even for non-birders...." Read more

"...I won't tell. It was certainly a nice break from my murder mysteries. I wish more were written like this. It's a contest, yes...." Read more

25 customers mention "Information quality"25 positive0 negative

Customers find the book informative and educational, with one customer highlighting its geographical facts and another noting its wonderful tidbits on El Nino.

"...This book is not long, but contains much knowledge. All three of these men are still much involved in birding...." Read more

"...who competed that year for the Big Year record, plus giving enough background information and history of birding to make the story exciting even for..." Read more

"...The interesting aspects include geographical facts and anecdotal stories, as well as the personalities of the main characters and "supporting"..." Read more

"...Entertaining, informational and very well written." Read more

20 customers mention "Writing quality"20 positive0 negative

Customers praise the writing quality of the book, finding it well-crafted and accessible, with one customer noting how the author comfortably explains the non-killing sport of birding in easy terms.

"...Birds are to be counted, not killed. Birding took off, books are written, pictured books are for observance to compare different colors, tail..." Read more

"...It was one of the easiest and most delightful reads I've ever had in just 2 and a half days...." Read more

"...A wonderful, simple, pleasurable read." Read more

"...But certainly the best-written. Obmascik does a terrific job of writing to birders and non-birders alike...." Read more

7 customers mention "Character development"7 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the character development in the book, noting the very real characters and how they view birding.

"...that ropes you in and has you rooting for all three of the very real characters, and they ARE characters...." Read more

"...facts and anecdotal stories, as well as the personalities of the main characters and "supporting" characters...." Read more

"...It was interesting to see how the different characters viewed birding and the hunts for different birds were also interesting...." Read more

"...humor and good discriptions of birds, travel, birding areas, and the characters. I would reccomend this to any reader, birder or not." Read more

A Fun Read
5 out of 5 stars
A Fun Read
I saw the movie and enjoyed it very much. I wanted to see how the actual story played out so I read the book. The movie roughly followed the book. The book itself was a good read and has good information about birding and those who have a an obsessive interest in these interesting and colorful creatures. The book is fun and a good read for birders and non-birders alike.
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Josephine Briggs
    5.0 out of 5 stars Keeping Up With The Birds All Over the U.S. and Canada
    Reviewed in the United States on November 26, 2011
    Verified Purchase
    I heard of this book in Audubon Magazine; the magazine recommened both the Bird Year book and the movie. I saw the movie first, it is pretty comical as is the book. Then I ordered the book.

    Mr. Obmascik began his book by introducing the readers to the three personalities who are the main birders. All three are completely different; the hardest driving and most dedicated is Sandy Komito. This man is determined to win the Big Year of 1998. Second birder is Al Leventin, a very wealthy man who lives in a mansion in the Colorado Mountains. He has wanted to bird for many years. Finally he makes his plans to do so. He becomes very seasick, can't go out on the water without becoming nauseated, needs to throw up and misses seeing birds he needs for his Big Year. Third is Greg Miller, a divorcee, who has been introduced into birding by his father. Greg works full time, is anything but rich and impoverishes himself rushing around the country after birds. The other two can well afford to pay for their trips. Greg has maxed out his credit cards.

    Mr Obmascik's third chapter tells how the hobby of birding began. Audubon painted birds, named some species after his supporters. Unfortunately he shot too many of them in order to paint them. The Christmas count began in 1900. Before this date hunters went shooting as many birds as they could on this day. Then Christmas Count is put into practice. Birds are to be counted, not killed. Birding took off, books are written, pictured books are for observance to compare different colors, tail feathers plus other differences. Now there is much interest in birds, birding has become a popular hobby.

    This book follows these three birders all over the states plus Canada. I know of a lady who is a birder but was just counting Texas birds. She rushed all over Texas. When she heard of a bird she needed to see she rushed off no matter where she was. She had worn out several cars rushing all over Texas. These men are much the same but have more territory to cover. There is nowhere they won't go to see a bird they need on their list. This book is a fun read with all the rushing around; plus there are so many people chasing these birds, needing them for their Big Year.

    One good birdwatching place is Attu, a wind swept island off Alaska. There are many people parking out on this island running around with expensive binoculars, cameras and scopes. 1998 is an excellent year due to El Nino, the year before which has blown birds far from their homes across to strange unknown places makeing all this a birders paradise. And birders are taking advantage of it all.

    Sandy Komito does all kind of things to find birds. He rushes all over the United States as are so many others. The birding areas are crowded with dedicated birders. One of the chapters is named whirlewind and there are many whirlwinds. Birders are rushing all over the United States to see a particular bird. Birders are hopping on boats on both sides of the country, around Texas, Florida, hanging out in alligator country to see a particular bird. Comparing birds. looking for details, arguing over what particular species of bird birders are seeing. Greg Miller is not rich, but determined to play this game. All three of these men have been involved in birds since childhood. Greg Miller is excellent in his knowledge of bird calls.

    One problem the three have is eating properly. Greg Miller is short on money so must exist on fast foods. The other two are so busy rushing around looking for birds that they will not take time to eat properly. Rush! Hurry! Find a particular bird! Whew! Another problem is missing family and enjoying fun times with them.

    But the three, plus many other dedicated birders, soldier on. These three go to out of the way places, strange places, unknown places, wild places with terrible weather to find their birds. Plus they are envious of others successes finding a bird he needs on his list. Two of these men charter a helicopter to fly away up in the mountains to see a bird the third man has seen. Competition! Competition! Competition! This book is filled with interesting facts about birds, birders, birding.

    This book is not long, but contains much knowledge. All three of these men are still much involved in birding. This is a fun read, this reader is worn out with vicariously rushing all over the country. Great book. Mr. Obmasick has written an exciting book about a popular hobby. I have learned much about birding; these birders are dedicated and single minded about their hobby.

    End of 1998, End of Big Year.
    16 people found this helpful
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  • Tim F. Martin
    5.0 out of 5 stars The ultimate birding story
    Reviewed in the United States on June 9, 2007
    Verified Purchase
    _The Big Year_ by Mark Obmascik was a fun and engaging look at the world of bird watching (or birding). More specifically, it was a look at a particular event in the world of birding, a spectacular competitive event called a Big Year, an event in which participants try to see the most species they can in North America north of Mexico during one calendar year. In 1998, three men battled for a new North American birding record and _The Big Year_ chronicles their struggle.

    A Big Year is a very interesting competition with as the author put it "few rules and no referees." Birders simply fly, drive, or boat all over the country and try to see the most number of species in a year. Though they often try to photograph the birds they see and often have witnesses with them, they usually just jot down in their notebooks when and where they saw a particular species, forward their totals to the American Birding Association, and hope that their competitors and the birding world believe them. Much of the competition is built upon credibility and honor and once someone is suspected of cheating just one time that person is finished, though cheating or accusations of cheating are quite rare. Indeed, so strangely honor-bound are the participants that Obmascik recounted several times when the three competitors actually helped one another, alerting each other to rare bird sightings in various parts of the continent and even in some cases showing their competitor the bird in person.

    Obmascik profiled the three birders who competed that year, interviewing them and visiting the places that they birded in order to win the competition. Each individual had a different starting point to begin their Big Year, had different networks of informants to tell them when rare birds showed up in various parts of the country (accidental strays from other parts of the world, be it Asian birds in Alaska, Mexican birds in Texas and the American Southwest, or Caribbean birds in Florida), and had varying types of experience to bring to bear on the competition.

    The three Big Year men were Sandy Komito (a New Jersey industrial contractor, to many a rather unlikely birder), Greg Miller (a nuclear power worker in Maryland who birded deeply in debt and greatly surprised the other two birders who had much greater resources; also the only one of the three to do a Big Year and still work a full-time job), and Al Levantin (a semi-retired corporate chief executive who lived in Colorado). The author followed their progress throughout the year and discussed their lives and what had brought them into birding in general and to competing in the Big Year in particular.

    Obmascik discussed the history of the Big Year, covering Roger Tory Peterson's revolutionary 1934 book _A Field Guide to the Birds_ and the author's later famous book, _Wild America_, published in 1955, a book in which the author traveled the continent and noted in a footnote that he saw 572 species in his travels in 1953. This inspired a man by the name of Stuart Keith to repeat the feat in 1956, who reported in _Audubon_ magazine that he had seen 598 birds in a year and that his life-list (birds he had seen his entire life) of 625 was second only to Peterson's reported list of 633. Within weeks of his 1961 article it became clear that Keith was in fact ten among overall life-listers, the champion having seen 669 birds. In 1973 Kenn Kaufman, hitchhiking and spending only $1000, traveled 69,200 miles and saw 666 species, not winning the contest but writing a well-known book called _Kingbird Highway_ and inspiring others, including in 1979 James M. Vardaman, a timber consultant who while not an expert birder hired guides and consultants with his vast financial resources to help him plan a Big Year (the complete opposite of Kaufman), ending the year with 699 species and having spent $44,507 (and writing an influential book, _Call Collect, Ask for Birdman_) and setting the stage for more formal networks to be set up to report rare birds.

    My favorite part of the book was the description of the places the three went to and the birds they saw. They went to Attu, "the Holy Grail of serious birders", a "treeless Alaskan spit seventeen hundred miles from Anchorage but just two hundred miles from Russia" to see rare Asian migrants pushed eastward by the region's harsh storms. A vital stop was the Brownsville, Texas Municipal Landfill, the only reliable place in the U.S. to see the Tamaulipas crow (the site nearly as hostile as Attu in its own way). To check off the rare Baird's sparrow, a secretive bird of native-grass prairie that breeds only in the Northern Great Plains, they had to make a special trip; "[a]mong birders, the Baird's separates the men from the boys." High Island, Texas was another vital stop, a prominent birding spot along the Gulf coast, "a green oasis that can be seen for miles offshore," such a popular spot to see arriving spring migrants like hummingbirds, warblers, and tanagers that the Houston Audubon society had built bleachers. To add Pacific pelagic birds, the Big Year men had to contend with the highly influential Debi Shearwater (formerly Debi Milllichap, who had legally changed her name in honor of a type of seabird), who ran the best pelagic birding charter on the West Coast; if one wanted to see Pacific seabirds, one had to be on her good side (and one of the Big Year men wasn't). In order to see the Colima warbler, one had to hike to its only breeding area in the U.S., the 5,900 foot high Chisos Mountains in Big Bend National Park in Texas. The only place to see otherwise tropical seabirds like the sooty tern and the masked booby was the isolated, desolate Dry Tortugas, arid islands that were once a prison in the Gulf of Mexico.
    6 people found this helpful
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  • C Brown
    4.0 out of 5 stars Great story mixed with just the right amount of background information
    Reviewed in the United States on July 27, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    I just finished reading Kenn Kaufman's Kingbird Highway right before I read this book again (I read it years ago when it first came out). I must say, the fact that Kenn accomplished his Big Year for about $1000, and Mr Komito was spending over $12,000 per month to do his version, I really think Kenn had the right idea. Whereas Kenn too the time to enjoy all of the birds he saw, each time he saw them, and Mr Komito would fly in, barge his way to someone else's scope, check off the bird, then immediately fly away to check off another bird. There's something to be said for taking one's time to enjoy yourself.

    Also, Mr Komito (the "Winner" of the biggest one year bird list described in this story) really isn't a shining example of the common courtesy and respect I've come to expect from the birders I meet around the country. He's rude, lacks respect for other birders as well as many of the other people he meets. Birding is a community activity, and he comes across in this story as nothing but a selfish boor.

    That aside, this author has done a wonderful job pulling together the stories of the 3 men who competed that year for the Big Year record, plus giving enough background information and history of birding to make the story exciting even for non-birders.

    Now that Attu has been closed to the public, it's hard to imagine how anyone could even hope to achieve this record again. So grab your binoculars and a friend and just enjoy the birds that surround us every day!
    2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Germain Savard
    5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
    Reviewed in Canada on September 17, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    Perfect
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  • Fritz
    5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best Birdwatching books out there
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 29, 2012
    Verified Purchase
    Its hard not to like this book if you are a birdwatcher which I am, the characters are ace made better because they are real and well its all very epic, the truth is that the records set by these guys will prob never be broken due to the fact that trips to Attu in Alaska no longer happen. In short if I could afford it I would love to do it, but I can't so reading this is the next best thing.
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  • Pedro Miguel Varanda de Vilhena
    5.0 out of 5 stars exelente
    Reviewed in Spain on September 24, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    Excelente livro para quem gosta de aves.
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  • Avi K. Sabavala
    5.0 out of 5 stars Real life Birding in North America
    Reviewed in India on October 31, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    As a birder, I could relate very well to the passion of the 3 characters. Staying in India, it felt like real life birding in North America. Be sure to keep a field guide to check out the birds. I use the National Geographic guide for North America
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  • 2nimm
    4.0 out of 5 stars livre d'aventures ornitho intéressant mais non illustré
    Reviewed in France on September 18, 2011
    Verified Purchase
    livre broché souple en papier recyclé de 2004 relatant les aventures ornithologiques d'un "birder" extrémiste nord-américain dans les années 1990 digne successeur de Kingbird Highway de Ken Kaufmann; à réserver aux fondus d'ornithologie, les simples amateurs d'oiseaux risquant d'être déçus par l'absence complète d'illustrations; un conseil pour tous les lecteurs francophones: gardez ouverts en permanence sur votre ordinateur googlemaps, oiseaux.net et une traduction en ligne pour pouvoir vérifier simplement en temps réel les lieux traversés, les espèces rencontrées ainsi qu'un mot inconnu
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