Conservation Ranching

Working with landowners to support better bird habitat.
Photo: Stacy Steinke

Audubon Certified Bird-Friendly Land

Audubon Conservation Ranching aims to stabilize declining grassland bird populations in partnership with farmers and ranchers. 

Why farmers and ranchers? The majority of grassland birds–whose populations have declined by more than 40 percent in the last 50 years–inhabit privately owned land. This is where we scale our impact.

Landowners voluntarily enroll in our program, and when they meet requirements centering on habitat management, environmental sustainability, and animal welfare, they earn the Audubon Bird-Friendly Land certification. Nationwide, more than 100 ranches and nearly 3 million acres have earned status as Audubon Certified Bird-Friendly Land

Consumers with an appetite for conservation support these bird-friendly habitats. A special package designation – the Audubon Certified Bird-Friendly seal – lets shoppers know which beef or bison products come from these lands managed for birds and biodiversity. 

About Conservation Ranching
For Retailers and Institutions
For Retailers and Institutions

Learn why you should carry products that meet the desires of your eco-conscious customers.

Our Team
A person with a light beard, wearing a blue ball cap and dark-framed eyeglasses, looks at the camera

Nat Miller

Senior Director, Wings Over Working Lands

Christopher Wilson

Program Director, Audubon Conservation Ranching

Anthony Hauck

Communications Manager, Audubon Conservation Ranching

Thomas Schroeder

Senior Partnerships Manager, Audubon Conservation Ranching

With a Bird’s Eye View to Grasslands, Tucker Lutter Joins Audubon as Iowa Conservation Manager
March 10, 2026 — Native Iowan to grow Audubon Conservation Ranching program for grasslands in his home state
A meadowlark perched on a wooden fence post.
America’s Birds Are Declining, The Farm Bill Can Help Turn the Tide
March 09, 2026 — As Congress advances the Farm Bill, strengthening voluntary conservation programs on farms, ranches, and forests is essential for birds, producers, and rural economies
Newly Audubon Certified, Nantz Land & Cattle Helping Grassland Birds Gain Ground in Texas
February 05, 2026 — Cattle catalyze bird-friendly grasslands at Rolling Plains region ranch
Thousand Hills Lifetime Grazed Ranch Network Earns Audubon’s Bird-Friendly Land Certification
July 22, 2025 — Audubon Certified Bird-Friendly Lands boast grazing practices that benefit birds
Birds That Depend on Grasslands
! Priority Bird
Bobolink
Blackbirds and Orioles
Chestnut-collared Longspur
Longspurs and Snow Buntings
Greater Prairie-Chicken
Pheasants and Grouse
American Golden-Plover
Plovers