Important Bird Areas Press Release

Key Sites for Birds and Birding in all 50 States

American Bird Conservancy's Press Release
Create a Press Release for you IBA-designated site

For Immediate Release
Date: November 18, 2003
Contact: Gavin Shire, ABC, 202 452-1535 x207,

New Book Identifies, For the First Time, the 500 Most Important Bird Areas 
in the United States

THE AMERICAN BIRD CONSERVANCY GUIDE TO THE 500 MOST IMPORTANT BIRD AREAS IN THE UNITED STATES (Random House Trade Paperbacks; Publication Date November 18, 2003) identifies for the first time the most significant places for birds and bird conservation in all 50 States. 

Unlike a field guide that focuses on species, this book identifies and describes places essential to rare, declining, or migrating birds. Each entry includes the reason the site was chosen, its ownership particulars, visitor information, and a detailed account of habitats, species, and conservation issues specific to the site. Organizing the United States into 35 ornithological regions, it provides a thorough index to facilitate easy cross-referencing by state, species, and sites. A complete list of all the sites is available at www.abcbirds.org/iba/index.html

The book's distinctive approach is designed to complement, not duplicate, ultra-successful field guides such as the Sibley and Peterson guides, offering birdwatchers, conservationists, and land managers information never before compiled in one volume. Acting as both a conservation compendium and a travel guide for the best places to go birding, it is an indispensable addition to any nature enthusiast's library.

Included in the top 500 sites are some of the country's most well-known National Parks, such as Yosemite and Great Smoky Mountains; 170 National Wildlife Refuges and National Seashores; National Monuments such as Organ Pipe Cactus; and hundreds of state, local, and privately-owned sites. With this book, American Bird Conservancy aims to draw attention to all of these sites and their importance to birds. It is also hoped that greater public recognition will help site managers in their quest for better funding, and in some cases, better protection for birds.

Use the following as a template to create a press release for your IBA-designated site.

For Immediate Release
Date: <INSERT RELEASE DATE HERE>
Contact: <INSERT YOUR SITE'S CONTACT DETAILS HERE>

<NAME OF SITE> Identified Among the 500 Most
Important Bird Areas in the United States In New Book

<NAME OF SITE> has been included in a new book that identifies, for the first time, the most significant sites for birds and bird conservation in the country. This A-list of the 500 best bird places has been researched by staff at American Bird Conservancy for their book, The AMERICAN BIRD CONSERVANCY GUIDE TO THE 500 MOST IMPORTANT BIRD AREAS IN THE UNITED STATES (Random House Trade Paperbacks; Publication Date November 18, 2003).

<NAME OF SITE > appears alongside a diverse array of federal, state, local, and privately-owned lands, including parks, refuges, management areas, forests, lakes, and seashores.

Unlike a field guide that focuses on species, this book identifies and describes places essential to rare, declining, or migrating birds. The account for <NAME OF SITE> includes visitor information, a detailed description of the specific habitats, species, and conservation issues found, and the reason the site was chosen to be an Important Bird Area.

<INCLUDE SHORT PARAGRAPH ON YOUR SITE AND ITS SIGNIFICANT AVIFAUNA HERE>.

The book offers birdwatchers, conservationists, and land managers information never before compiled in one volume. American Bird Conservancy aims to draw attention to all of the sites and their importance to birds.

For more information on <NAME OF SITE>, visit: <INSERT SITE'S WEB ADDRESS HERE>.

For more information on the American Bird Conservancy Guide to the 500 Most Important Bird Areas in the United States visit: www.abcbirds.org/iba/book_guide.htm