Grow native plants for the birds! Learn about Cornell’s new Garden for Birds program and how to participate.
If you’re reading this, then you probably want more birds outside your window. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology wants this for you too! Its new Garden for Birds program invites participants to add native plants to their spaces in an effort to educate people and entice more birds into their yards.
Data Driven: Native Plants Help Birds
Becca Rodomsky-Bish, project leader of Cornell’s Garden for Birds and the Great Backyard Bird Count, cites a 2019 study that showed how over a quarter of the nation’s birds have been lost since 1970. “It was our red alert,” she says. “The primary reason for the decline is habitat loss and degradation.” With that data, they began looking for solutions. And that is how Cornell’s Garden for Birds program came to be. “The long-term goal is to be able to demonstrate that as people create bird-friendly native landscapes at home, they see more birds, and a greater diversity of them,” Becca says.
How to Get Started
The Garden for Birds team provides practical advice and actionable steps to support gardeners of all skill levels. Whether you need to know what native species grow well in your area, where to acquire them, or even what to do if the deer didn’t agree with the “deer-resistant” label on a plant tag, Garden for Birds has the answers.
“The hardest part of gardening is just getting started. But once you have things growing, you’ll notice new pollinators—and with pollinators, you’ll have birds,” Becca says.
The requirement for the program is planting a single plant, even if it’s starting with one in a container on the porch or it’s adding another specimen to a yard full of established natives.
To join the Garden for Birds project, simply sign up on the Garden for Birds webpage. In the spring, you’ll be asked to upload a “before” picture. At the end of the summer, take an “after” photo to show your progress.
From March to November, you will receive a monthly newsletter highlighting some informational activities and offering seasonal reminders, such as the importance of understanding invasive plants and what to do about them. Webinars and other resources are also offered to further deepen your knowledge of native plant gardening and creating healthy habitats for birds.
Another aspect of the project is offering a “Bird Spot” sign similar to those for monarch way stations and National Wildlife Federation-certified habitats. “These are especially great for those gardening in a space with a lot of foot traffic,” Becca says. The sign features a QR code to explain the purpose of the program to passersby. It might even inspire more neighbors to try it in their own backyards.
Keeping Track of Your Progress
Participants are also encouraged to join the Garden for Birds eBird project and the Great Backyard Bird Count. These provide data for researchers to understand the impact of even small habitat improvements. Plus, it’s a delight to discover and track new birds in your backyard.
Becca says one of her favorite stories is about a gardener in Florida who converted his yard six years ago. Back then, he counted 34 bird species, and now he has a yard list of 165 birds. It is easy to create a bird-friendly landscape with the help of the Garden for Birds team. Before long, you and your feathered visitors can enjoy a thriving bird haven in your yard.
