Cats kill ~2.4 billion birds annually in the U.S. Aside from habitat loss, this is the
#1
human-caused reason for bird deaths. Save birds and keep cats healthy by keeping them indoors or creating an outdoor “catio.”
#LiveBirdFriendly
with more tips at
#WMBD
Migratory birds are on the move for spring migration! A Summer Tanager tagged at a Bird Friendly research site in Colombia by
@SMBC
and
@selvaorgco
scientists was recently pinged at two different MOTUS towers in Costa Rica. Check out its current route
To qualify as Bird Friendly® at least 60% of shade trees on a coffee or cocoa farm must be native. Native trees support a greater abundance and diversity of insects than non-native trees, ensuring migratory birds can fuel up on quality nutrients before migration!
#WMBD2023
Native tree species support a greater abundance and diversity of insects than non-native species, generating more resources for birds and other wildlife! To qualify for Bird Friendly® certification, at least 60% of shade trees on a coffee or cocoa farm must be native.
#EarthWeek
Bird is the word! On March 13, soar into the renovated Bird House and explore the fascinating world of migratory songbirds, shorebirds, and waterfowl. (1/2)
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Endangered Species Act of 1973–a law that provides a framework to conserve and protect endangered and threatened species like the Kirtland's Warbler, as well as their habitats. (1/2)
To qualify as a Bird Friendly® coffee farm, at least 60% of shade trees on the farm must be native. Native trees support a greater abundance and diversity of insects than non-native trees, ensuring migratory birds can refuel with quality nutrients before spring migration!
Happy Valentine's Day! Be a tweetheart. Eat Bird Friendly chocolate and help save birds.🦜❤🍫 Bird Friendly cocoa flies above the rest by ensuring cocoa farms conserve birds and other wildlife by protecting forests and native shade trees. Flock this way:
Singing in the city? Collaborator
@DanaLMoseley
records gray catbird songs to understand how urbanization & anthropogenic noise impact behavior & breeding. Did you know catbirds mimic the sounds of other birds animals & even cell phone rings & sirens?
#ornithology
#UrbanEcology
Using geolocators,
@SMBC
Research Ecologist Autumn-Lynn Harrison & collaborators tracked 53 Arctic terns from 5 breeding colonies in N. America. Their findings revealed migration timing was different between tern colonies worldwide but generally fell within a 1-2 month window.
Join leading
#ornithology
experts on May 11, 2018, for the Conservation Immersion Seminar for an update on the "State of Birds," & find out what the Smithsonian & partners (i.e.
@ABCbirds1
) are doing to ensure a future for birds.
Register today!
Do you live in a city? We study birds from rural to urban environments to understand what influences the distribution of species. We recently found urban habitats filter avian communities as a function of their traits
#ornithology
Celebrate
#ValentinesDay
and enjoy the sweet taste of conservation. Smithsonian Bird Friendly® certification now includes cocoa! Treat yourself and the planet by choosing
#BirdFriendly
chocolate made with 100% Bird Friendly cocoa. Flock this way:
Happy
#FeatheredFriday
! In many places across the continental US, the conspicuous late fall arrival of the the Dark-eyed Junco has earned them the nickname ‘snowbirds’ and they are considered a signal of the arrival of winter. Hello, its that time again!
#winter
#ornithology
❄️☃️
You can support fall migration as well as the resident birds in your neighborhood by making your home and yard more
#birdfriendly
with a few tips! Tip
#1
: Keep piles of brush and leaves around your yard to offer shelter, habitat, and food sources. (2/2)
Happy
#NationalWildlifeWeek
! When you
#DrinkBirdFriendly
you help support coffee farms that maintain critical habitat for birds and other wildlife. Migrate to the best in biodiversity conservation at
Fall migration is in full swing! Did you know the movement of migrating birds can be seen on weather radar? Birds show up as blue and green circles in this image.
Check out
@SMBC
's Neotropical Migratory Bird FAQs to learn more about bird migration
Many bird species, including the Indigo Bunting, migrate at night, using the stars for guidance. Light pollution can overpower these guiding stars and disorient birds, making night migrators especially vulnerable to window collisions during migration.
#FeatheredFactFriday
1/2
How tweet it is. Chocolate has joined the Smithsonian Bird Friendly® flock!
@DandelionChoco
,
@FrenchBroadChoc
and
@RaakaChocolate
are crafting the first Bird Friendly® chocolate made from 100% certified cocoa from Zorzal Cacao. Learn more: (1/2)
A medium to long-distant migrant, the Prothonotary Warbler arrives to its breeding range in April and can be spotted moving through the understory of swampy woodlands. They rely on standing dead trees, or snags, in these habitats where they nest in cavities.
#FeatheredFactFriday
Happy Visit the Zoo Day! Make your way through the shores of the Delaware Bay, a lush prairie pothole and a tropical Bird Friendly coffee farm, all while surrounded by ~80 species of free-flighted birds at the
@NationalZoo
's Bird House. Plan your visit at
Most coffee farms remove habitat for birds and other wildlife, but not Bird Friendly® farms! The Bird Friendly® seal guarantees every coffee bean is from a farm that conserves critical forest habitat. Celebrate
#WorldWildlifeDay
by brewing biodiversity at
“I would really hope that all of us just take a moment drinking that morning cup of coffee to appreciate the coffee farmers that are growing it, the families that will continue to manage these lands and the birds that sing above the coffee.” – Ruth Bennett,
@SMBC
Ecologist (1/2)
With the use of GPS tags,
@SMBC
researchers & collaborators are gaining insight into the incredible migration of long-billed curlews across N. America. Find out how this technology is helping to unravel the mysteries of curlew migration and conservation.
Have a question for a Smithsonian scientist? Send us your questions for Dr. Ruth Bennett of the Migratory Bird Center—and tune in to our Facebook on Saturday, May 9th to see your questions answered!
#ornithology
#WorldMigratoryBirdDay
#BirdFriendly
#Coffee
has a new website with updated information and resources on how we all can help wildlife every day with a basic cup of coffee. ☕️
What do you think of it?
#ornithology
The Bird Friendly® Annual Report is now available! The achievements from this past year are a reflection of the support & dedication from the incredible Bird Friendly community—thank you, and we look forward to continuing to protect biodiversity and habitats in 2023. (1/2)
Happy
#WorldCurlewDay
! At the American Prairie Reserve, Smithsonian scientists equip Long-billed Curlews with GPS transmitters to learn more about their movements. Learn how tracking the largest shorebird in N. America helps inform conservation efforts.
Eastern Kingbirds are long distance migrants, spending summers in the U.S. and Canada, and winters as far south as Argentina. They overwinter in forests, and can be found on Bird Friendly farms foraging for fruit, their main food source.
#FeatheredFactFriday
Photo by Greg Gough
Looking to celebrate
#EarthDay
from home?
#Birdwatching
is an easy, hopeful and exciting connection to our natural world, and you can do it anywhere! Find out how to get started in Smithsonian's Sidedoor podcast's recent “Birds, Birds, Birds!” episode
Migratory birds are on the move! Click the green forward arrow at the link to watch Summer Tanagers and an Acadian Flycatcher start their northward migration from a shade grown coffee farm in Colombia. Birds were tagged by Bird Friendly program scientists.
Happy
#FeatheredFriday
! Did you know birds have social networks too? Some of us are in Ecuador's tropical forests right now studying the wire-tailed manakin. We are measuring the ways hormones influence cooperative behavior, the foundation of their social networks.
#Ornithology
Researchers at
@SMBC
,
@FieldMuseum
and
@Georgetown
tracked Kirtland’s Warblers between The Bahamas and Michigan, and found their gut bacteria differed across the annual cycle. Learn more about their study and how the gut microbiome may help animals adapt.
Happy
#FeatheredFriday
! Golden-winged Warblers are a truly gorgeous bird! Unfortunately the migratory species has declined >60% since the 1960s. Loss of tropical wintering habitat is one reason for the decline &
#BirdFriendly
coffee is one way to confront this loss.
#Ornithology
Happy
#EarthWeek
from
@SMBC
! Bird Friendly® coffee and cocoa farms not only support birds, but the ecosystem as a whole! Celebrate sustainable coffee and cocoa and explore the many ecological benefits of Bird Friendly:
2017 is the 5th year we tagged herons at the
@NationalZoo
for a total of 16 tagged herons. This year we tagged 1 individual who migrated from NZP to Cuba where it remained for 6 weeks & then on to Nicaragua.
#ornithology
#MigConnectivity
With the use of GPS tags,
@SMBC
researchers & collaborators are gaining insight into the incredible migration of long-billed curlews across N. America. Find out how this technology is helping to unravel the mysteries of curlew migration and conservation.
According to SMBC
#ornithologist
Dr. Ruth Bennett, female Golden-winged warblers are at twice the risk of habitat loss due to human development than male Golden-winged warblers. How can you help? Capture your observations of female birds in
@Team_eBird
this weekend
#femalebirdday
One of the most widespread warblers, the vibrant Yellow Warbler nests across North America and winters in Central and South America. An important predator of the coffee berry borer pest, this species helps protect coffee crops on Bird Friendly® farms.
#FeatheredFactFriday
Happy
#FeatheredFriday
! Here's our good friend the American Robin. It's fall migration, did you know that this species is a "partial" migrant- some migrate, some don't? We still have a lot to learn about migration, even for this common species.
#Ornithology
#MigConnectivity
How do scientists keep track of the birds they band? Just as each car has its own unique license plate number, each aluminum band is engraved with a unique set of numbers that scientists use to identify individuals. Find out what other techniques are used:
SMBC is at
#AOS18AZ
this week. We’re presenting
#ornithology
research, leading discussions, and even teaching others. Today SMBC postdoc
@MTHallworth
led a workshop on using program R to analyze migratory bird data.
The Gulf of Mexico is one of the most important migratory corridors. Yet, it has not been possible to comprehensively measure migration through this region. Until now! ���️out our collaborative paper
#aeroecology
#ornithology
#MigConnectivity
#GulfofMexico
As leaves start to change color and drop🍂🌿🍁, many people across the U.S. and Canada are preparing for fall yard work. With this change in season, migratory birds are already starting their journeys south to Mexico and Central and South America for the winter. (1/2)
Every spring since before the National Zoo was established in 1889, Black-crowned Night Herons arrive to nest but where they go when they leave has been a mystery. In 2015, we started tagging them to find out. Stay tuned...
#ornithology
#MigConnectivity
In Nov 2017 SMBC Post-doc Alex Jahn deployed 10 satellite transmitters on Snail Kites in southern Brazil. The kite that has traveled the furthest recently entered the southern Amazon River Basin in Bolivia, over 1500 miles away from the capture site.
#ornithology
Every winter we say bye to neighborhood birds, like local warblers. We know birds migrate someplace warmer, but where do they actually go? One of their fav places to spend the winter is tropical forests where
#cocoa
is grown, like Zorzal Cacao in the Dominican Republic. (1/2)
Every spring, approximately 100 breeding pairs of Black-crowned Night Herons arrive at the Smithsonian
@NationalZoo
in Washington D.C. where they have been nesting since before the Zoo was established in 1889. 1/4
1 in 8 bird species worldwide faces the threat of extinction, many of them living in tropical forests where
#coffee
is grown. We can fight habitat loss by reducing our impact on the environment, including the way we produce coffee. A great start?
#DrinkBirdFriendly
The American Redstart contributes to natural pest control on Bird Friendly® coffee farms, eating beetles like the coffee berry borer, caterpillars, and flying insects. It can be spotted foraging within the farms' coffee plants, shade trees, and living fences.
#FeatheredFactFriday
First snowy day in DC ❄️🌨️. Great time to watch birds at your feeder. This week we installed a roof on our new bird feeder webcam
@NationalZoo
. Check back, we hope to make the camera feed open to the public soon.
#ornithology
#citizenscience
Did you know the Kirtland's Warbler is one of the rarest songbirds in North America? This species has just over 4,500 individuals in the population!
#FeatheredFactFriday
Photo by Nathan Cooper