10 Ways to Help Birds

Collisions with windows are the second worst cause of direct, human-related bird mortality, estimated to kill more than one billion birds in the United States each year. Here in Seattle, we estimate that collisions at residential structures alone kill more than 80,000 birds annually. Most collisions happen because birds see reflections of trees and sky in glass, or they see through windows to habitat on the other side, and don’t perceive the glass barrier.

What You Can Do:

Make your windows safer for birds by applying visual markers that break up reflections:

• Window decals or tape on the outer surface of reflective or transparent windows (follow the “2×2 rule”: markers spaced no more than 2 inches apart in any direction)
• External screens or netting placed a few inches from the glass
• Hanging cords spaced 4″ apart horizontally, Acopian BirdSavers (paracord “zen curtains”)
• Tempera paint or soap for temporary seasonal marking during peak migration

Tip: Focus on windows near bird feeders, windows with clear views through your home, and large picture windows. The outside surface is key—interior treatments are far less effective.

Learn more about preventing bird-window collisions here.

Light pollution is profoundly disrupting ecosystems worldwide. Artificial light at night attracts and disorients migratory species, causing them to collide with buildings, deplete energy reserves, or become vulnerable to predators. Light pollution also alters biological processes like circadian rhythms, changes animal behavior and predator-prey relationships, disrupts insect populations (a critical food source), and contributes to cascading food web disruptions.

Seattle lies along the Pacific Flyway, a major migratory route where millions of birds pass through twice each year. Many species migrate at night, using stars for navigation. City lights can be deadly during these long journeys.

What You Can Do:

Reduce your impact by going Lights Out, especially during spring (April-June) and fall (September-November) migration seasons:

• Turn off all non-essential lighting from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m.
• Close blinds and curtains at night to contain indoor light
• Use motion sensors and timers for outdoor lighting
• Install “dark sky” approved fixtures that direct light downward
• Choose warm-colored bulbs (amber/yellow) rather than bright white or blue, which are more disruptive
• Dim or turn off decorative lighting on buildings and landscapes

Learn more about going Lights Out here.

Pesticides—including weed killers, rat poisons, insect sprays, and slug baits—are taking a heavy toll on the environment. These chemicals don’t just affect their intended targets; they move through food webs, accumulating in the bodies of birds and other wildlife. Insecticides directly reduce the insects that many birds depend on to feed themselves and their young. Rodenticides cause secondary poisoning when raptors and other predators consume poisoned prey.

What You Can Do:

• Embrace imperfection in your lawn and garden—a few weeds won’t hurt and can actually provide food for birds
• Use physical barriers like row covers or copper tape
• Hand-pull weeds or use boiling water, vinegar, or corn gluten meal for natural weed control
• Encourage natural predators like birds, bats, and beneficial insects to control pests
• Choose organic methods for pest control when intervention is necessary
• Never use rodenticides—use snap traps or hire professionals who use non-toxic methods

Native plants are naturally more resistant to local pests and require fewer interventions, making them an excellent foundation for a pesticide-free yard.

Habitat loss has been the leading driver of bird population declines worldwide. In urban areas like Seattle, development, infrastructure, and landscaping with non-native ornamental plants have dramatically altered the ecosystem and resources available. Native plants have co-evolved with local insects and tend to support greater insect diversity and abundance. Since most terrestrial bird species feed insects to their young, native plants are essential for successful breeding.

Trees provide critical nesting sites, shelter from predators and weather, and food sources throughout the year. Like many cities, Seattle’s tree canopy has been declining, and every tree we plant helps regrow our urban forest.

What You Can Do:

• If you have room, plant a tree. Follow “right tree, right place” guidance to ensure healthy trees and avoid infrastructure conflict
• Add native shrubs like red-flowering currant, salmonberry, osoberry, Oregon grape, and snowberry to planting areas
• Add native perennials and grasses that provide seeds, nectar, and insect habitat
• Create layers in your landscaping (trees, shrubs, groundcovers) to provide diverse habitat
• Leave leaf litter and dead wood when safe—these support insects and provide foraging opportunities
• Plant for year-round resources: spring flowers, summer berries, fall seeds, winter shelter

Even small yards and balconies can support birds. Container gardens with native plants provide valuable stepping-stone habitat in urban areas.

Local resources: Nature of Your Neighborhood, Trees for Neighborhoods, Plants for Birds, Homegrown National Park initiative, and local native plant nurseries can help you get started.

Many of the birds that breed in the Pacific Northwest during summer—including warblers, tanagers, flycatchers, and hummingbirds—spend their winters in Central and South America. Intensive coffee and cocoa growing operations have cleared vast areas of diverse tropical forests for monoculture plantations, which contributes to massive habitat loss, pesticide use, and the decline of migratory bird populations.

What You Can Do:

Look for coffee and cocoa products with Bird Friendly® certification from the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center. Bird Friendly® certified farms meet strict environmental criteria developed by scientists for tree canopy cover, canopy height, biodiversity, and pesticide use. These farms are both profitable for farmers and habitable for birds and other wildlife.

Other helpful certifications: Organic, Rainforest Alliance, and Fair Trade certifications also indicate more sustainable growing practices, though Bird Friendly® has the most rigorous habitat requirements.

By choosing Bird Friendly® products, you directly support farming practices that protect the wintering habitat of the birds you enjoy in Seattle. It’s a simple way to make your morning coffee count for conservation.

Learn more about Bird Friendly® coffee and cocoa here.

Animal agriculture is the leading cause of habitat loss and deforestation worldwide. Livestock production occupies 80% of global agricultural land while producing only 17% of global calories. Forests, grasslands, and wetlands—critical habitats for birds—are cleared to create pastures and grow feed crops. Animal agriculture is also a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, water pollution, and biodiversity loss.

Reducing meat consumption, particularly beef and lamb, is one of the highest-impact actions individuals can take to reduce their environmental footprint.

What You Can Do:

• Try “Meatless Mondays” or other meat-free days
• Reduce portion sizes when you do eat meat
• Explore plant-based proteins like beans, lentils, tofu, tempeh, or meat substitutes
• Reduce food waste—wasting food wastes all the resources that went into producing it

You don’t have to become vegetarian or vegan to make a difference. Even modest reductions in meat consumption add up across millions of people.

Birds are one of the most diverse groups of terrestrial vertebrates, and even within Seattle’s urban landscape, more than 200 species naturally occur here throughout the year. Learning to identify and understand local birds deepens your connection to nature, helps you notice environmental changes, and transforms everyday walks into opportunities for discovery and wonder.

What You Can Do:

• Get a field guide: Try the Merlin Bird ID app (free from Cornell Lab of Ornithology) or a regional bird guide
• Join a bird walk: check our calender to find free, guided walks for all skill levels
• Take a class: expert instructors are eager to share what they know. See what courses we’re offering here
• Watch birds in your neighborhood: Notice when migrants arrive and depart, when residents are nesting, when juveniles appear
• Learn about behavior: Understanding what birds are doing makes watching them endlessly fascinating

There’s always something new to discover.

Community science has become an indispensable tool for monitoring biodiversity and detecting changes in ecosystems. Professional scientists can’t be everywhere at once, but millions of community scientists collectively contribute observations that reveal population trends, range shifts, migration timing changes, and responses to climate change. The data you contribute helps inform conservation priorities, track the success of habitat restoration, and guide policy decisions.

Participating in community science also builds your skills, connects you with like-minded people, and contributes to something larger than ourselves.

What You Can Do:

• Use eBird.org: The world’s largest biodiversity database. Submit your bird sightings from anywhere, anytime. Your checklists contribute to scientific understanding and conservation.
• Use iNaturalist.org: Record observations of birds, plants, insects, and other organisms. The community helps identify species and your data becomes part of the Global Biodiversity Information Facility.
• Join the Neighborhood Bird Project (Birds Connect Seattle): Help monitor birds in Seattle-area greenspaces to understand how urban habitat supports birds.
• Participate in the Seattle Bird Collision Monitoring Project (Birds Connect Seattle): Survey buildings for bird-window collisions to identify problem structures and inform solutions.
• Join the Christmas Bird Count: running since 1900, provides over a century of data on bird population trends.

You don’t need to be an expert to participate. Projects welcome observers of all skill levels, and many provide training and support.

Individual actions are important, but ultimately we need large-scale societal changes to address the climate and biodiversity loss crises facing our planet. Policy is one of the most powerful tools for driving the transformative changes we need. This includes legislative policies (laws and regulations), corporate policies (business practices), regulatory enforcement, and financial policies (funding priorities).
When we advocate collectively for strong environmental policies, we multiply our impact far beyond what any individual action can achieve.

What You Can Do:

Support environmental legislation:

• Advocate for bird-safe building ordinances

Vote with your wallet:

• Support local businesses committed to sustainability
• Boycott corportations that are driving habitat loss and climate change
• Use apps like Good On You or check B Corporation certifications

Demand regulatory enforcement:

• Speak up when environmental protections are weakened or not enforced
• Attend public comment periods for development projects affecting habitat

Support conservation funding:

• Vote for ballot measures that fund parks, open space protection, and habitat restoration
• Contact elected officials to support funding for agencies that protect natural areas and wildlife (parks departments, environmental agencies)
• Support organizations doing conservation work through memberships and donations

Stay informed and engaged:

• Sign up for the Birds Connect Seattle eNewsletter
• Follow local environmental news and policy developments

Amplify your voice:

• Talk to friends, family, and neighbors about conservation issues
• Share information on social media

Policy change can be slow, but it creates lasting impact. When we speak up, we represent not only ourselves, but the countless birds and other species that have no voice in human decisions affecting their survival.