Conservation

Climate change is rapidly changing ecosystems, driving mass extinctions. More than 25,000 species are now in danger of disappearing, including 1,469 bird species. Climate change affects birds by causing heat stress, decreasing food availability, and disrupting the mating and breeding cycles. Many species face extinction threats, while others are adapting by shifting their ranges and […]

Starting a non-profit bird sanctuary can be a daunting task, but with the right guidance, you’ll be able to effectively provide a much-needed home for birds and maybe even facilitate adoptions. Just make sure that you have plenty of experience working with birds and understand the cost associated with a bird sanctuary before you get

When you’re going out birding, chances are you’ll have an eye out for bird refuges and sanctuaries. These sites are built to protect bird species and therefore are great places to spot new birds.  What is a bird refuge? A bird refuge is a wildlife refuge specifically dedicated to the conservation of bird species. Many

From the smallest hummingbird to the largest raptor, birds occupy many different trophic levels in food webs worldwide. Birds play many roles — they are a keystone species and are crucial to the functioning of particular ecosystems. How are birds good for the environment? Birds pollinate flowering plants and are seed dispersal agents. Scavenging birds,

Birds are a reminder of a distant, strange time in Earth’s history when giant, terrible lizards roamed the land. It seems unbelievable that tiny hummingbirds and the enormous Tyrannosaurus rex have anything in common, yet they share a branch on the family tree of life. Are birds dinosaurs? Birds are the last surviving dinosaurs, according

The Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center created the Bird Friendly® program as a way to incentivize coffee farmers to grow beans more ethically and sustainably without destroying bird habitats. It raises awareness of the threat that industrial agriculture poses to biodiversity and gives coffee consumers the tools to be more discerning about which beans they buy.