While I’ve traveled the world photographing all manner of wildlife, I’m most at peace photographing birds in my home state of Missouri.

One of the primary challenges of wildlife photography is having time in the field to witness wildlife in its natural state.

Observing and photographing wildlife in one’s local area gives the immense benefit of allowing repeat visits to a given location, getting to know the long-term behaviors of wildlife, and understanding patterns.

Here’s a collection of birds that can be found in Missouri, all of which were taken in the midwest region of the United States.