What you can do to keep birds safe

Believe it or not, more birds die from cat encounters than from collisions with buildings, communication towers, vehicles, or poisoning by pesticides. Cats pose biggest threat

Number One Threats to Birds by U.S. Fish & Wildlife is cats: Threats to birds

Now numbering well over 100 million in the United States, cats kill approximately 2.4 billion birds every year in the U.S. alone, making cat predation by far the largest source of direct, human-caused mortality to birds.  ABC program: cats-indoors

Love your cat? We know you do!  Follow these links to keep your cat and birds safe - a win/win. 

Check out the American Bird Conservancy's ABCs for cat owners including a Solutions for Pet Cats: "Catio": ABC solutions

Outdoor lights:

• Turn off all nonessential lights from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. each night during peak migration.
• • All outdoor lights should be directed downward – eliminates horizontal glare
  • Turn off exterior decorative lighting
  • Extinguish pot and flood-lights
  • Use lighting shields to direct light downward and avoid light shining into the sky or trees.

• For essential lights (security and safety lighting), use motion detectors and sensors so lights only come on when you need them.

• Don’t use landscape lighting to illuminate trees or gardens where birds may be resting.

Image Source: NYC Audubon

FeatherFriendly has window treatments and partners with National Audubon Society to help raise awareness of how businesses and homeowners can stop bird deaths from collisions.  "We now see billions of fewer birds than we did only half a century ago. Urban development poses risks to birds, with approximately 1 billion birds dying in North America from window collisions each year alone.4 Migrating birds unfamiliar with their surroundings are unable to see exterior window glass in their search for habitat." Crisis

View this gallery of DIY/Residential projects that keep the skies safer for birds:  residential gallery

Make your windows bird friendly with NYC Audubon's suggestions:  Bird-friendly windows, Create your own decals

Other shopping resource for window decals:  Decals, 

Sign up to become a FeederWatcher: All about Bird Watching from home

What, when, where, how to feed birds. Learn from the experts at Project FeederWatch:  Bird food, Feeding birds FAQs

Can't birds feed themselves?  During summers with a lot of plant and flower growth, they don't need supplemental seed. However, during very cold winters they do need our assistance with food. In periods of high heat and drought, your running water can be a lifeline to thirsty birds.  If a summer feels particularly brutal to you and you see birds "panting", they can use supplemental water sources. Plus, you can enjoy watching them bathe!

Can't feed birds yourself? Donate to our "Seed Fund". We maintain the Armchair Birding feeders in the winter when birds need the most from us. Our volunteers diligently stock the feeders so that wintering sparrows and other species can make it through the cold weather. 

Join us for our many "Big Sits" at Dead Horse State Park and learn about local species as you relax. Why not let the birds come to you?!