When it comes to birds and bird-watching, Nebraska is an undiscovered country. Ornithologists say Nebraska, with more than 400 species, is one of the top spots in North America for professional and amateur bird-watchers, a fact that is lost on most people.

"Nebraska has been probably under-recognized for the birding activities that exist … this is one of the best birding states," said Dave Titterington, chairman of the Nebraska Birding Trails Workgroup and owner of The Wild Bird Habitat Stores in Lincoln.

At 77,358 square miles, Nebraska is the 16th largest state. It has farm fields, prairie, lakes, rivers and woodlands — places where birds like to hang out, hunt for food and hide from predators.

So where does a birder go to find birds?

To the Internet — at least at first.

The Nebraska Partnership for  All Bird Conservation has launched a Web site listing the state's best birding trails.

With a few clicks of a mouse, a birder can search for sites by community, geographical and ecological regions or key words. For example, enter "eagle" and 24 sites pop up, the closest to Lincoln being Branched Oak Lake.

The Nebraska Birding Trails consist of nine intersecting highway routes passing through the state's 10 ecoregions. Five routes follow major river systems: the Missouri; the Platte; the Republican; the Elkhorn; and the Niobrara valleys — all providing migratory pathways for shorebirds and waterfowl and nesting habitats for eastern and western woodland birds.

Titterington and Paul Johnsgard, a noted ornithologist and a University of Nebraska-Lincoln professor emeritus in biological sciences,  began the project several years ago to boost bird-watching and the state's fledgling ecotourism industry.

Johnsgard, who has written 45 books, mostly about birds, contributed the bulk of the data, much of it from a self-published book: "A Bird Finding Guide to Nebraska."

"He was instrumental in getting this done in a short period of time," Titterington said.

Russell Duerksen, an attorney and longtime birder from rural Bennet, said he's found the new Web site useful.

"I've already got a couple trips planned," he said.

Duerksen runs a bird touring company called Trogon Enterprises and has used similar Web sites in Florida, Arizona and Texas, he said.

"When I travel, that's the first think I look for is a birding trail."

The 40-year-old has been a bird-watcher for 23 years. He's logged 659 birds on his life list, which birders use to record species they have seen. A blue mockingbird, loggerhead kingbird and crescent-chested warbler are among the rare birds on his list.

Why do birders keep such life lists?

"Why do people go looking for 12- and 14-point bucks? It's a wonderful hobby," Duerksen said. "It's a way of keeping track. You're competing against what's out there."

Johnsgard believes the project will appeal mostly to serious birders at first. "Hopefully, as more people use the Internet and birding does increase every year, I think it will impact the tourism of the state."

Tom Tabor, an ecotourism development consultant with the state Department of Economic Development, said 29 states have Internet-based birding trails.

Nebraska's birding trail site will not only provide information on species but also will have links to lodging and other information.

Birding is big business in the United States. The industry generates an annual economic output of $85 billion, including $32 billion in retail sales, said Titterington, citing a 2001 survey by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. More than 18 million birders travel the nation annually, he said.

It's not known how many birders come from Nebraska. Titterington said Nebraskans have an average birder participation rate of 25 percent, compared to 22 percent nationally.

One of the biggest attractions for birders is the annual spring migration of hundreds of thousands of sandhill cranes through the Platte River Valley between Grand Island and Kearney.

Between 15,000 and 20,000 watchers join the cranes, said Johnsgard, and that represents a significant economic impact to the region.

Eagle-watching is also a favorite past-time for birders, especially at Lake McConaughy, north of Ogallala. During the winter, eagles are attracted to its open waters below Kingsley Dam.

Lake McConaughy is one of the best spots for birds the rest of the year, too, Titterington said. More than 340 species have been recorded there since 1976, including rare gulls and ducks, Johnsgard said.

"Birders tend to like rare things. When a tufted duck or Iceland gull turns up, then people will come from a long way to add it to their list," Johnsgard said.

Because Nebraska lies along the Central Flyway, one of the key migratory routes, birders also can get their fill of geese, ducks and other waterfowl, along with songbirds.

Titterington hopes the birding trails project does more than boost interest in birding. He wants it to lead to more habitat conservation, especially on private land.

"Once people realize there is an economic value, our hope is they will protect and enhance that habitat," Titterington said.

Reach Algis J. Laukaitis at 473-7243 or alaukaitis@journalstar.com.

Threatened and endangered species that might be seen in Nebraska

Whooping crane: The central Platte Valley is the most important migratory staging area between its Texas wintering grounds and Canadian nesting grounds. One of America's rarest birds and highly sought by birders.

Interior race of least tern: Platte, Missouri and Niobrara rivers are important breeding areas; as are impoundments such as Lake McConaughy.

Piping plover: Platte, Missouri and Niobrara rivers are important breeding areas, as well as Lake McConaughy.

Rare species that might be seen in Nebraska

Buff-breasted sandpiper: Nebraska's eastern Rainwater Basin is a major spring staging area between its South American wintering grounds and arctic nesting grounds. One of birders' most sought-after species nationally. The Rainwater Basin may be of international migratory significance to other shorebirds as well.

Greater prairie chicken: Nationally declining at a rate of more than 3 percent annually. Nebraska and Kansas have by far the largest remaining populations of this once-widespread and spectacular tallgrass prairie species. Recent data suggest Kansas population is declining but Nebraska's is stable. One of birders' most nationally sought-after species for watching spring courtship displays.

Henslow's sparrow: Nationally declining at a rate of more than 6 percent annually; apparently expanding range in Southeast Nebraska. A "hard-to-find" species for birders.

Grasshopper sparrow: Nationally declining at a rate of more than 4 percent annually; widespread and apparently maintaining range across Nebraska.

Loggerhead shrike: Nationally declining at a rate of about 4 percent annually; apparently maintaining range in Sandhills. The breeding race in Nebraska is a candidate for federal listing as threatened.

Long-billed curlew: Nationally declining at a rate of about 1.5  percent annually; the largest North American shorebird; nationally rare but common in the Sandhills.

Other grassland species that are declining nationally but still fairly to very common in Nebraska: eastern and western meadowlarks; lark bunting; dickcissel; vesper sparrow; field sparrow.

Many Nebraska species are at the eastern or western edges of their ranges here, and at least six species-pairs overlap in the Niobrara and Platte valleys, often producing interesting hybrid populations of behavioral, evolutionary and ecological significance. Some of these pairs are Baltimore and Bullock's orioles, indigo and lazuli buntings, and rose-breasted and black-headed grosbeaks. Such species provide birders from the east with their first chance to see western birds, and vice versa.

— Compiled by Paul Johnsgard

On the Web

The Nebraska Birding Trails Web site was developed with the help of an $8,000 grant from the Nebraska Department of Economic Development's division of travel and tourism. Developed by Lincoln advertising firm Snitily Carr, the site lists 350 birding sites on public and private property. Maps and driving directions will be added.

www.nebraskabirdingtrails.com