Photo: Tufted Titmouse, Katherine McEntee/Audubon Photography Awards
Although many people make charitable donations during the holidays instead of giving presents to adult friends and family, some of us still like to exchange physical presents. So, how about making some gift selections that will help the birds! Here are a few suggestions, but we’re sure you can think of others.
Helping Birds on their Wintering Grounds
Many of our most colorful and spell-binding birds spend the winter in Central and South America. Not all coffee-lovers are aware that coffee plantations can have a devastating effect on the birds’ wintering habitat. So, consider making holiday gifts that spread the word of bird-friendly coffee and help those migratory birds at the same time. Make a gift of bird-friendly coffee that carries the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center certification. You can buy it from National Audubon Society, a local retailer, or an online vendor. Or, if the person you are buying for isn’t a coffee drinker, how about bird-friendly chocolate? It’s a great gift idea for the holidays or any time during the coming year!
Learning What Birds Are Nearby
To encourage conservation-minded behavior, help someone in your family or neighborhood gain a new awareness of the birds around them. A field guide, even a simple-foldout guide to common North American birds, is a good start. If your budget is a little more flexible, consider a gift of binoculars. There is a wide range to choose from, including some for under $150. Check out this online guide for options in all price ranges. You also can point your gift recipient to NBVA’s free online course, Introduction to Birding, available for download from our website. Or, to provide an “ear-opening experience,” consider a gift of NVBA’s “Birding by Ear” program, also available from our website for only $20.
For those technologically-minded, and if there’s a lot of flexibility in your gift-giving budget, consider a gift of a smart device, like a “Bird Buddy,” which photographs birds that land on a backyard feeder, or a “Haiku Box,” which identifies visitors to an area by sound.
Supporting Birds in a Back Yard
Creating habitat for birds and other wildlife in a back yard supports conservation while at the same time creating enjoyment. So, how about giving family or friends a habitat boost. Plant NOVA Natives provides a list of local native plant vendors. A gift of native plants from one of those vendors, especially if it comes with a commitment to help with the planting, would be a welcome gift that would keep giving throughout the year.
Of course, a gift of bird-feeding supplies, a bird bath, or a bird bath heater can be welcome for someone interested in supporting back yard birds during the cold winter months. Although many local vendors provide a wide selection of feeders and other supplies, we suggest you start your search for a gift by consulting some guides on practices that attract birds but also keep them safe. Here’s a National Audubon guide.
If you are concerned that a gift of bird-feeding supplies could put visiting birds at risk, such as from predation by an outdoor cat, or window collisions, consider a gift that mitigates the risk, such as a generous offer to build your gift recipient an outdoor “catio,” an enclosure from which the cat can watch birds without endangering them, or install of one of the collision prevention devices cited by the American Bird Conservancy on its website.
Whether you limit your gifts to charitable donations, or mix donations with more tangible gifts, keep the birds in mind. Whatever you do to help them provides you, your family, and your friends, enjoyment throughout the year.