Watch What You Spray
Each year 4 million tons of pesticides are
applied in the United States exposing
672 million birds to the harmful effects
of these chemicals. Even when some
store-bought pesticides are applied
according to label directions, migratory
birds can die. Before using pesticides
consider the following:
Exercise Prevention First. Drain away
standing water in your yard; don’t stack
wood directly on the ground and move it
away from your house; and don’t let
your lawn go long periods without
watering.
Try Attacking Pests with a Combination
of Methods. Try hoeing instead of
spraying to get rid of weeds; use
compost as a fertilizer; use only native
plants; rotate vegetables in your garden
from year to year.
Use Low Impact Pesticides. Use the
most specific chemical pesticide for your
need. Always follow label instructions;
applying more than is recommended
isn’t necessarily better.
Get a Good Book on Pesticides. Many
books on pesticides and gardening can
be found at neighborhood bookstores
and libraries. Contact your county
agricultural extension agent with any
questions.
For more information on pesticides
and birds see Pesticide Fact Sheet
or call Mary Henry, USFWS,
703/358-2148.
Create Backyard Habitat
Creating backyard habitat is something
nearly everyone can do.
Food: Provide plenty of natural bird
food by planting native plants that
bear small berries or that support
ample insect populations. A bird
feeder is also useful for attracting
many birds.
Shelter: Birds require dense cover, like
shrubs and evergreen trees, especially
during winter.
Water: Commercial bird baths, small
pools, and natural ponds are surefire
ways to attract birds.
Nest Sites: Put up a bird house for
hole-nesting birds like chickadees and
wrens.
Watch Your Spraying: Spraying
pesticides can lower the quality of
otherwise great bird habitat. Minimize
their use.
Be a Responsible Cat Owner
Keep only as many cats as you
can care for.
Keep your cat indoors whenever
possible.
Consider spaying or neutering
your cat.
If you don’t want your cat anymore,
do not release it into rural areas.
Contact your local animal shelter or
welfare organization instead.
Locate bird feeders away from heavy
cover so that cats cannot surprise
unsuspecting birds. Position feeders to
avoid deadly window collisions.
Buy Shade-Grown Coffee
Coffee is a tropical crop, and much of
the coffee we drink is grown in the
West Indies, southern Mexico, and
Central and South America. Bird-friendly
coffee is grown in the shade,
under a natural canopy of tropical trees.
In the midst of shrinking and altered
habitat, both in North and Latin
America, migratory birds have found a
sanctuary in the forest-like environment
of traditional coffee plantations which
support over 150 species of birds—a
number exceeded only in undisturbed
tropical forest.
Ways Citizens Can
Contribute to Conservation
of Wild Birds
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Catch the
Migration
Sensation
International
Migratory Bird
Day is May 8th
New varieties of coffee have been
developed in the past twenty years
which are sun tolerant and are grown
with no shade canopy at all. Sun coffee
production not only causes agronomic
risks but also contributes to a major
habitat change for migratory birds.
Studies have found that the diversity
of migratory birds plummets when
coffee is converted from shade to sun.
Avifauna studies in Colombia and
Mexico found 94 percent to 97 percent
fewer bird species in sun-grown coffee
than in shade-grown coffee. When
purchasing coffee, check the label or
ask your grocer for certified
shade-status coffee.
Buy a Duck Stamp
One of the easiest and most effective
things anyone can do for birds is to
purchase a Migratory Bird Conservation
Stamp, commonly known as the “Duck
Stamp,” available for $15 from post
offices, sporting goods stores, K-Marts,
Wal-Marts, and national wildlife refuges
around the country. Ninety-eight cents
of every dollar raised by Duck Stamp
sales is used to buy wetland habitat,
which benefits migratory waterfowl
and a host of other species of birds
and wildlife.
Call the new USFWS toll free number
1-888/534-0400 to order a Federal Duck
Stamp or for more information.
Get Involved In Community Planning
Listen to what your county
commissioners or land use planners are
saying about future use and zoning of
lands in your area. Make sure those
plans are in the best interest of wildlife,
as well as other types of community
development—remember “green space”
raises all property values. Community
decision-makers are usually receptive to
input from citizens, especially if you
have a good understanding of the issues.
Join a Bird or Garden Club
A good way to become more informed
about birds is to join a bird club, garden
club or other citizens’ group. Simple
interaction with a diversity of other
people who share your basic interests is
likely to create a more informed
viewpoint about bird conservation.
Volunteer at a Refuge or Park
One of the most significant actions
anyone can take is to volunteer at a
national wildlife refuge, state park or
other wildlife sanctuary. You may be
able to help with litter control, trail
maintenance, guiding tours for civic
groups, developing a bird or tree list,
or starting a nestbox program. Few
refuges would turn down an offer of
some additional help.
Join or start a “Friends” group at your
nearest national wildlife refuge or park.
These groups provide a consistent
source of volunteer support. The help
you provide can make a real contribution
to the future of wild birds.
For other information about “Friends”
groups in your area, contact Allyson
Rowell, USFWS, 703/358-1744.
Start an Annual Bird Festival or
IMBD Event
This is a good way to generate
community spirit, ensure a better
environment, and raise awareness about
and promote the conservation of
migratory birds and the habitats they
need to survive.
The IMBD’s Organizer’s Packet is full
of “how to” information on hosting a
birding festival.
Teachers can obtain the IMBD
Educator’s Packet filled with fun and
innovative activities for elementary and
middle school kids.
Obtain posters, T-shirts, pins, patches,
and other IMBD merchandise through
the National Fish and Wildlife
Foundation, 1120 Connecticut Avenue
NW, Suite 900, Washington, DC 20036
(202/857-0166).
To receive an IMBD announcement
packet, call 703/358-2318 or write
USFWS, Office of Migratory Bird
Management, 4401 N. Fairfax Drive,
Suite 634, Arlington, Virginia 22203 or
e-mail: IMBD@fws.gov. For more
information visit the IMBD website at
www.americanbirding.org
Donate Your Old Binoculars
Give new life to your old binoculars
by passing them on to new birding
enthusiasts. If your old binoculars are
in good condition or only need a little
work, they can be refurbished and
given to a budding birdwatcher. Send
used binoculars to the Fairfax
Audubon Society, P.O. Box 82,
Vienna, Virginia 22183.
May 1999
