International
Migratory Bird
Day (IMBD),
held annually
on the second
Saturday in
May, is an
invitation to
celebrate and
support
migratory bird
conservation.
IMBD Information
web http://birds.fws.gov/imbd.html
phone 703/358-2318
IMBD Sales
web http://www.BirdDay.org
phone 1-866/334-3330
January 2001
It is the outright loss of habitat as a
result of human population growth and
development that is chiefly responsible
for bird population declines. Where
development is necessary, however,
people can make choices to minimize the
impacts to wildlife. A notable example is
traditional coffee plantations, where
coffee shrubs are grown under a canopy
of diverse trees. These tropical farms
harbor an abundance of birds, including
some of the prettiest songbirds that
arrive in North America each spring.
Where Does Coffee Come From?
Coffee plants evolved as understory
shrubs in the forests of Ethiopia and the
Sudan. As people discovered the
stimulating beverage made from the
seeds of the coffee fruit (coffee “beans”),
the cultivation of coffee spread globally,
first to the Middle East, then to Europe,
and by the 18th century, to Latin
America. Coffee thrived in the New
World, and since World War II, Mexico,
Central America, and northern South
America have produced one-third to two-thirds
of the world’s coffee.
Until recently, most coffee in the
Americas was grown in the shade, in
keeping with coffee’s wild ancestry. On
shade farms, coffee is grown under
existing forest cover, or more often,
under a cover of trees expressly planted
by the farmer. In addition to shade, the
tree cover provides protection from
damaging storms and contributes to soil
quality. Trees help to hold soil in place,
and the roots of some trees fix nitrogen
in the soil, while fallen leaves provide a
natural mulch. The trees also offer
shelter for pest-eating predators and a
source of additional forest products, such
as fruits, wood, vegetables, nuts, and
medicinal plants.
Shade Coffee and
Migratory Birds
The IMBD 2001 Theme
Traditional Farms Provide Habitat
Traditional shade coffee farms include
layers of other plants and trees, and thus
resemble natural forest. These farms can
satisfy the needs of birds dependent on
forests or other heavily vegetated areas
for food and shelter. The tree foliage and
leaf litter provide foraging sites for birds
seeking insects, spiders or other small
prey. The “air-plants”—epiphytes—that
grow on the branches of tropical forest
trees are particularly attractive to birds,
holding water and numerous organisms
within their leaves. Flowering and
fruiting trees provide additional food
sources. However, the fruit of the non-native
coffee shrubs is not an important
food source, and far fewer species are
found in the coffee plants than in the
forest vegetation overhead.
Studies have shown that coffee
plantations with significant shading—
greater than 40 percent coverage—by a
canopy that is structurally complex and
comprised of a diversity of tree species,
harbor a variety of birds second only to
that found in undisturbed forests. This
includes birds that
reside in Latin
America year-round,
as well as birds that
bring color and music
to North America in
the spring.
Trouble in Paradise
Beginning in the 1970s, due to concerns
about a damaging coffee fungus and a
desire for higher yields, major changes
occurred in the New World coffee
industry. Varieties of coffee that would
grow when planted densely in the sun
were developed, and major portions of
coffee cropland were converted to
production of these “sun coffees.” Farms
with these varieties do produce
substantially increased yields, but also
have significant drawbacks. As tree cover
is removed, coffee crops require more
chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and
herbicides; they become more susceptible
to drought; require more frequent plant
replacement; and begin to have problems
with soil erosion and toxic runoff as well
as soil acidification.
When coffee plantations are converted to
sun production, the diversity of birds
plummets. Full-sun coffee farms host
only a fraction—25 to as little as five
percent—of the number of bird species
on nearby shade farms.
Make a Difference, Drink Shade Coffee
Next to oil, coffee is the most valuable
legal export in the world, with North
America accounting for over a third of
consumption. Thus, coffee drinkers can
make a tremendous contribution to bird
conservation by selecting brands
produced from shade-grown plants. Over
the past five years, many organizations
and businesses have been working to
promote shade coffee, as well as develop
certification criteria so that consumers
can be sure that coffee labeled “shade-grown”
is truly produced in a fashion
beneficial to birds.
Shade coffee is currently marketed as
speciality product, but it is not hard to
find. With a few phone calls or on-line
searches, and a little taste-testing, you
should be able to find a product and
provider that’s right for your situation as
an individual, coffee club member,
retailer, or concessioner.
By selecting shade coffee, you will be
protecting important wintering habitat for:
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Wood Thrush
Red-Eyed Vireo
Black-throated Green Warbler
Ovenbird
Wilson’s Warbler
American Redstart
Northern Oriole
Western Tanager
Scarlet Tanager
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Indigo Bunting
and dozens of other migrating birds!
Shade coffee may be a bit more
expensive than sun coffee, but aren’t
these birds worth it?
Some Sources of Shade-Grown Coffee
Shade coffee is available through a
variety of souces:
The International Migratory Bird
Day 2001 Products Catalog, on-line
at http://www.BirdDay.org
Progressive grocery stores such as
Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods Market/
Fresh Fields, and Ukrops
Wildlife-related gift shops such as
Wild Bird Centers, Wild Birds
Unlimited, and zoo stores
Coffee shops and cafes
On-line, using lists provided by:
Smithsonian Migratory Bird
Center’s Coffee Corner
(http://www.si.edu/smbc/coffee.htm)
The Rainforest Alliance’s
Conservation Agriculture Program
(http://www.rainforest-alliance.org/
programs/cap/program-description3.
html)
Northwest Shade Coffee Campaign
(http://www.seattleaudubon.org/
Coffee/home.html)
Atlanta Audubon Society
(http://www.atlantaaudubon.org/
pages/sgcfacts.htm)
Other sources on the IMBD website
(http://birds.fws.gov/imbd.html)
If you want to see shade coffee in your
local grocery store, ask the manager to
stock your favorite brand.
