Presented on the following pages is a complete list of the 918 eligible ABA species in alphabetical order. Brackets [ ] placed around a further 31 species are those as yet unaccepted by the ABA records committee (January 2001). Across the top of the chart are the twelve geographical regions represented in this guide, also in alphabetical order. The SSFW listed below the twelve geographical regions are the four seasons. The seasons begin on these dates: Spring - March 1, Summer - June 1, Fall - September 1, and Winter - December 1. The twelve regional columns contain numbers which indicate the expected occurrence of each ABA species in each of the four seasons. The code of likely occurrence is: 

 1        Should be found on any single day within the given season and locality.

 2        Present within the given season and locality, but may not be found on any single day. Category includes very scarce residents and migrants as well as secretive species. 

 3        90% - 60%          4          59% - 30%          5          29% - 10%

 6        less than 10% chance of occurring. 

7          No realistic chance of occurring.

 Uncountable species are represented: (i) recent introduction (e) possible escapes.

 This checklist is intended as an aid - to be used along with the range maps in the National Geographic's Birds of North America - to inform the reader quickly of what species occur at each of the twelve geographical regions, and your chances of observing them seasonally. The checklist contains all records of Mexican, Caribbean and Eurasian vagrants (ABA species assigned codes 4, 5, and 6) and supplies complete checklists of species for each geographical location. The list of species for each geographical location are those to be found along the itinerary routes shaded yellow on the accompanying map. Example: The British Columbia list has only those species that are found from Victoria to the Okanagan Valley and disregards species found in other areas of the province. As the B.C. itinerary does not include a pelagic trip, only those pelagics possible from the ferries are noted. However, records of vagrants for each state or province are, in most cases, noted from outside these coloured areas.

 The checklist illustrates the frequency which Code 1 species wander intercontinentally from coast-to-coast or from north-to-south or visa versa (represented by a single 7) and the frequency that Code 1 species winter or summer outside of their usual ranges. This checklist is not intended to replace up-to-date state and provincial checklists and birdfinding guides which often illustrate the seasonal occurrence of species with bar-graphs.

REGION: Species occurs in State or Province either as a vagrant or as regular species but outside the shaded areas on the map.The exception is Ontario (southern) which restricts the species noted west of Niagara Falls.

 Simply run your finger down one of the twelve columns to locate those species that occur at that particular geographical location - or across your species of choice to find what regions it occupies. Following the twelve geographical regions is a species index. The numbers denote the pages in the text where information can be gleaned for that particular species.