Cities, Towns, and Parks

Transforming our communities into places where birds flourish.

Where birds thrive, people prosper.

From urban centers to rural towns, each community can provide important habitat for birds. In turn, birds offer us a richer, more beautiful, and healthful place to live.

The Threat

Over the past century, urbanization has taken, fragmented, and transformed ecologically productive land with sterile lawns and exotic ornamental plants. We’ve introduced walls of glass, toxic pesticides, and domestic predators. The human-dominated landscape no longer supports functioning ecosystems or provides healthy places for birds.

The Solution

Audubon’s Bird-friendly Communities strives to provide food, shelter, safe passage, and places for birds to raise their young, through our Plants for Birds and Bird-friendly Buildings programs. As we work to create healthy habitats, we also work to ensure safe spaces for our feathered friends. Check out some bird-friendly yard tips here and read on to learn more.

Plants for Birds

By simply choosing native plants for our yards and public spaces, we can restore vital habitats for birds in our communities and help them adapt and survive in the face of climate change. Audubon’s Plants for Birds program is designed to enable anyone to have a positive impact by planting for birds, right where they live. 

Western Tanager. Photo: Ann Kramer/Audubon Photography Awards

Bring more birds to your home with native plants! Visit the native plants database to create a customized list of plants native to your area, get connected to your local Audubon and native plant nurseries, and help us get 1 million plants in the ground for birds. 

Enter your zip code here!

Bird-Friendly Community News

A bear grabs a hanging bird feeder full of seeds in its mouth, knocking it over.
Why Bird Feed Can Be a ‘Gateway Food’ for Bears
October 27, 2022 — The easy buffet draws bears to human habitats. If you live in bear country, experts suggest putting away feeders in seasons the mammals are active.
Simple Solutions to Prevent Collisions
April 04, 2022 — Making our communities and skies safer for birds
When a Battle Against an Invasive Weed Feels Like a Battle for Your Spirit
March 22, 2022 — I was feeling discouraged in life, when I began volunteering at a local park. That’s when the project’s leader, Eleanor Osgood, changed my outlook.
Proclamations, Resolutions, and Ordinances
Audubon Florida Assembly. Photo: Luke Franke/Audubon
Proclamations, Resolutions, and Ordinances

Protecting birds and providing them with abundant habitat and safe passage is achievable with PROs – Proclamation, Resolutions and Ordinances. Connect with your local Audubon chapter, center, or sanctuary, to learn more about PROs for native plants and bird-friendly buildings or reach out to bfc@audubon.org.

Our Team

Marlene Pantin

Partnerships Manager, Plants for Birds

Connie Sanchez

Bird-friendly Buildings Program Manager

Our Work in Communities