Bird and wildflower enthusiasts in Florida have a new tool to help them identify bird and flower species. Based on updated and expanded versions of the best-selling series of National Audubon Society field guides, Audubon Birds Florida and Audubon Wildflowers Florida put comprehensive information about the state’s natural world at the fingertips of iPhone and iPod Touch users.

Now available in the reference section of the apps store in iTunes along with other apps in the Audubon Guides series, the Audubon Birds Florida and Audubon Wildflowers Florida apps each provide a wealth of interactive information in a mobile package, making hikes more informed and instantly sharable.

“I can’t imagine a more genuinely fun and informative way to use technology to connect with nature,” said Andrew Stewart, publisher of Green Mountain Digital, the electronic publishing company that created the Audubon Guide app series in alliance with the National Audubon Society. “Everyone from dedicated enthusiasts to casual nature lovers and families just looking for fun outdoor activities will enjoy having so much detailed information at their fingertips.”

Audubon Birds Florida and Audubon Wildflowers Florida cover 403 species of birds and 624 species of flowers. Each species is described with rich and detailed information updated from National Audubon Society field guidebooks. All of this is accessed wirelessly and in real time through interactive and intuitive search features with parameters such as common and scientific names, family, shape, range, habitat, color and size.

Each app includes hundreds of professional color photos, range maps for each species and a geo-location search function that allows users to find which bird or wildflower species are located in any zip code or state in the region. Advanced technical innovations include the ability to create personalized life lists, post GPS-enabled bird sighting lists and upload user-created photo albums.

“This is a giant leap forward in connecting people with the nature that surrounds them,” said John Flicker, president of the National Audubon Society. “And it’s the first step in building a commitment to protecting the wonders these apps will help a new generation discover and savor.”

Audubon Birds Florida is available in the iTunes store for $6.99 and Audubon Wildflowers Florida is $4.99.