- I have a question about photos. Can you help me?
If you have a photo question, please visit our Photo FAQs.
- How do I enter the Backyard Photo Contest?
We hold a new contest every year. For information on the current one, please visit our Contest section. If we are in the voting stage of this cycle, please vote and watch for an upcoming call out for new entries for next year's contest. These will be posted in our Contest section as well.
- I have a question about freelancing. Can you help me?
If you have a freelancing question, please view our Freelance Guidelines.
- What is Birds & Blooms EXTRA?
Birds & Blooms Extra gives you everything you love about Birds & Blooms...and a whole lot more! It arrives on the off-months of Birds & Blooms and contains an extra flock of photos, reader tips and expert advice. Birds & Blooms EXTRA requires a separate subscription, though. Subscribe today!
- If I subscribe to Birds & Blooms, do I get EXTRA, too?
Birds & Blooms EXTRA is a separate subscription. Don't miss out on all the useful information offered in EXTRA. Subscribe today.
- How do I enter the "Find the Acorn" and "Find Buzz & Violet" contests?
Please visit the Contest area of our website. This is where we will post all information about winners as well.
- I just sent in my payment. Why am I still getting subscription reminders in the mail?
We apologize if you're getting extra reminders of your subscription expiring. If you have additional questions, please contact Customer Care.
- How do I contact Customer Care?
You can call (800) 344-6913 or use our electronic form here.
- I'm looking for the zone hardiness map. Can you help?
Here's a link to the USDA zone hardiness map we use.
- My magazine is late. What should I do?
Magazines arrive at different times, and it's possible that you could receive yours up to two weeks later than a friend. If your magazine is consistently late, it's usually a post office issue, so check with your local office. If you believe it's something on our end, please contact Customer Care.
- Where can I find your contributor's guidelines?
Our contributor's guidelines are listed here. To submit your story, please use our Submission Form.
- I have a "Glad You Asked" question? How do I contact George or Melinda?
Our experts receive hundreds of questions and are not able to respond to every one. First look at this FAQ area to see if your question is answered there. If you need immediate response, visit our Community Section to chat with fellow Birds & Blooms readers. They're a great resource, and you can often get immediate feedback. If you have a unique question and don't mind waiting a bit for an answer, please use our Submission Form to send your Glad You Asked questions.
- I would like old magazines for my school, church or community group. Can you help?
Unfortunately, we don't have a large backlog supply of magazines, so we are unable to accommodate these requests.
- I'd like to purchase an additional or back issue of Birds & Blooms . How do I do this?
Individual issues, if available, can be purchased here.
- I'm looking for a story from an old issue of Birds & Blooms. Can you help?
We suggest going to the Community section of our website for help.
- I submitted a story or photos a while back, but I haven't heard anything. Why?
Thanks for writing. Our publication depends on readers like you! We sometimes get hundreds of pieces of mail each day. While we do read each piece, we don't have a large enough staff to respond to each one. We can only respond to material that we are interested in publishing, and unfortunately, we are not able to return mail or photos (even if you send an SASE). So please make a copy before you send! We plan our magazine far in advance, so we often keep material on file for several months. If your submission is seasonal, we may keep it to consider for the appropriate issue next year. We do evaluate every submission very carefully. But unfortunately, there isn't enough space in the magazine to print and share all of them with our readers.
- When I entered the "Find the Acorn" or "Buzz and Violet" contest, it says that I've already entered this month. I think it's a mistake, so what's the problem?
This message appears when folks want to be sure they entered the contest. They hit "submit" and press hard on the mouse or "return" key. It is recorded instantly but when the mouse button is held down longer than it needs to be, it thinks you're attempting to submit a second entry.
- What's the best way to get my photo or story into the magazine?
First, be sure to check out our contributor's guidelines. The easiest way to get in is by submitting a unique story for our "Bird Tales" or "For Less" section, along with a good photo. These are some of the most popular sections of the magazine and are great for first-time contributors. Be sure to keep your story short and sweet (under 400 words). If you have an accompanying photo, make sure it's good quality.
- I'm looking for a project plan in an old issue of Birds & Blooms . Where can I find it?
We put nearly all of our projects online, so check there first.
- When I click on one of the Backyard Projects for instructions, it takes me to a page to subscribe to Birds & Blooms EXTRA. Where's the project?
This is one of a few projects that are exclusive free content for Birds & Blooms EXTRA subscribers. Subscribe to EXTRA here.
- I read an article and would like to contact the author. Could you send me his or her address?
Sorry, but we're unable to give out contributors' addresses.