Bird Cities Soar: A Year of Community-Powered Conservation

The Audubon Society has seen tremendous success across the fifteen certified Bird Cities! All across the state, communities are promoting events, education, and sustainability efforts that are working towards conserving bird habitats. The goal of any Bird City is not only to implement conservation efforts, but also to find new ways to engage the public on how they can make an individual difference. This past year has offered some especially remarkable accomplishments within Bird Cities, with some of the highest community engagement we have seen yet! The main focus is habitat protection, threat reduction, sustainability, education, & outreach. Bird Cities, both new and veteran, have shown incredible commitment to these values, and have all soared in their efforts. We wanted to take the time to highlight the work these cities are doing to protect the flock. Projects focused on educating and connecting the community are a priority, as it allows for people to better understand how and why we do the work we do. 

A few of the highlights from 2025 that help our communities soar:

• Kerrville’s interpretive hikes and Migratory Bird Day celebration allow for Bird Cities to promote specific ways their community can create an impact on the environment. Highlighting native species along trails that serve as bird habitats, as well as teaching kids how to make bird feeders!
• Dripping Springs recently implemented a Cats in Doors jingle bells initiative to encourage cat parents to keep their pets indoors to protect wild birds. The city gave out ribbon collars with bells so that if cats are outdoors, birds will be able to hear them.
• Dallas’ Goatscaping project brings goats to different areas to feast on invasive plants.
• Wimberly is successfully converting 5 acres previously used for spraying wastewater into a native prairie.
• Houston has completed the final acquisition of the Bolivar Flat Shorebird Sanctuary, where over 500,000 birds can be found daily during peak migration!
• Port Aransas hosted an “Eat the Invasives” event for a free meal, where visitors could try different invasive wildlife such as lionfish, tiger prawns, or peppercorn sauce from the Brazilian peppercorn tree.
• Galveston has connected with architects across the city to decrease bird collisions by constructing bird friendly architecture.
• San Antonio’s Birding with a Purpose program connects us with landowners & conducts bird surveys on their land. Efforts such as these permit us to both educate and connect with community members, but also research the health of local bird populations.

All of these communities have found so many ways to support their local ecology, each one making an impact across the flock. Efforts such as these both educate community members on plants and animals, but double as a way to get people outdoors and connect with their neighbors! As wonderful as all these conservation efforts are, their reach is stunted without the support of the people who make up these cities. From members in Bastrop attending and joining city council, to College Station’s bird collision monitoring program, Texans are working hard to create a better environment for the future of both birds and people. 

If you want to learn more about what other amazing projects Bird Cities are doing to protect the environment, click here to learn more!