Anyone looking to bird in the Nutmeg State should rush out and secure a copy of Frank Gallo’s Birding in Connecticut. Birders at every level will appreciate the personal and professional experience, extensive research and thoughtful planning that went into the writing and production of this guide. The guide is wonderfully organized by region and then by location within each region. Each location contains clear descriptions of the topography along with driving instructions, advice on how to bird the location and key birds that will be found there. Added to this are detailed color maps, color photographs and helpful advice that will make trip planning easy. Finally, and very important for any birder, are the appendices and the index. The five appendices include one that graphs the status of each species mentioned in the book by frequency and month; another appendix provides an annotated species list; and a third identifies species by habitat. The index of bird species adds a nicely designed tool for birders that lists birds and their location in the book in a way that makes for easy research. Viewed as a total package, Mr. Gallo's Birding in Connecticut is an exemplar of the birding guide. Authors and publishers planning new guides would be wise to use Mr. Gallo’s book as a model.