The emphasis in this article is on international travel, but you can apply the same good preparation, skills, and common sense to any birding excursion.

With all the choices out there, finding the right tour company to meet your needs can seem overwhelming. Asking (and receiving answers to) the right questions can ease your anxiety and maybe even turn you from a wary traveler into a birding tour enthusiast. BWD editor Bill Thompson, III, explains how to proceed.

If you haven't seen the Thompsons perform or birded with them, you're missing out. Using a unique blend of humor and toe-tapping music as a backdrop, the family always delivers interesting and informative presentations.