The bird population in the United States and Canada has declined by almost 30% — a total loss of 3 billion birds — worldwide since 1970, with habitat loss as a driving force. 75% of the world’s coffee is farmed with practices that actively destroy forest habitat and when forests disappear, migratory songbirds disappear, too.
Not all coffee farms are created equal. Typically, farms that look like forests, often called “agroforests” for their mix of coffee shrubs and stands of trees, house higher bird diversity than monoculture farms that have little or no natural canopy cover. Unfortunately, certified shade-grown coffees make up only a small part of the global market—5.6 percent for Rainforest Alliance and around 1 percent for Bird Friendly.
What is Bird Friendly® certified coffee?
The Smithsonian Bird Friendly certification is the environmental gold standard in sustainable coffee and cocoa production and does more than any other certification to conserve habitat for birds. In the late 1990s, Smithsonian scientists developed the Bird Friendly certification for coffee to conserve habitat and protect migratory songbirds. This certification ensures an agricultural environment with a mix of foliage cover, tree height, and biodiversity that creates quality habitat for birds and other wildlife. Bird Friendly provides farmers with a premium for their products, and because of stringent growing standards, is also a critical asset in fighting climate change. When you purchase Bird Friendly certified coffee or cocoa, you are helping to preserve critical habitat for birds and wildlife, fight climate change, protect biodiversity, and support farmers committed to farming sustainably. Currently, there are 5,100 Bird Friendly farmers in 11 countries who are growing 34 million pounds of coffee annually, all dedicated to protecting birds and native habitats. More recently, Bird Friendly has begun offering a certification for cocoa farms, as well; farmers in the Dominican Republic are now proudly growing cocoa that is good for birds, better for their bottom line, and positive for our planet. Smithsonian is looking to rapidly expand into additional countries.
Bird Friendly coffee farms are certified by third-party agencies to ensure they meet the Smithsonian’s rigorous habitat standards. There are a host of benefits to becoming Bird Friendly certified for farmers, in addition to those mentioned for birds. Irrespective of farm size, Bird Friendly certified farms have access to gourmet markets and an association with the Smithsonian Institution’s cutting-edge research, conservation work, brand recognition and Bird Friendly marketing approach. Bird Friendly standards help to mitigate the effects of climate change and offer extreme weather protection for crops through shade trees. Nitrogen fixation from leguminous shade trees and recycled leaf litter/organic matter can greatly improve surrounding soil quality without the use of chemical fertilizers. There is the potential for additional incomes from products grown under Bird Friendly shade, such as fruits, honey and timber. Farmers can choose to grow traditional coffee varieties and also have access to new varieties that are resistant to pests. Because shade-grown coffee beans ripen slowly, the result is a bean with richer flavor and a better tasting product, which in itself can improve saleability and brand reputation. Among other criteria, a Bird Friendly certification requires an organic certification by a USDA-accredited agency; as a certified organic farm, soil and water resources in the surrounding environment are protected and a healthier environment is assured for workers and downstream communities. Lastly, to be Bird Friendly certified increases the Ecotourism possibilities for birdwatchers, nature lovers and agricultural tourists to farms. Once they are awarded the Bird Friendly seal of approval, producers can begin selling their Bird Friendly products internationally and are then recertified every three years.
Importers, roasters and retailers sign an agreement with the Smithsonian, verifying that they separately handle, package and label Bird Friendly beans, guaranteeing 100 percent product purity and traceability and reporting their purchases and sales.
Image from Smithsonian
What is the difference between Bird Friendly® and Rainforest Alliance certified coffee?
Both certifications require farmers to maintain or restore some level of habitat for birds and prohibit harmful pesticide use. The Bird Friendly certification requires farms to have a canopy height of at least 12 meters (which provides a shade canopy dense enough to filter 40% of the sunlight) and a minimum of ten tree species and three canopy layers. These stringent criteria ensure that Bird Friendly certified farms provide quality habitat rivaling that of undisturbed forests. While the Rainforest Alliance provides helpful guidelines for canopy and shade cover, they are less stringent and, notably, there is no core requirement for shade coverage during initial certification. All Bird Friendly certified farms must also be certified organic, but not all Rainforest Alliance certified farms require this. The Bird Friendly certification is considered a slightly more rigorous standard from a conservation perspective (as its rules related to canopy cover, pesticide use, and product purity are stricter).
If you can do so, opt for brands that are either Bird Friendly® certified or Rainforest Alliance certified to ensure the best level of protection for birds and native habitat. Otherwise “shade grown” coffees are generally good to seek out, but remember to take uncertified marketing claims with a grain of salt. “Shade-grown” is a generic term that doesn’t have a set definition, so a self-proclaimed “shade grown” farm can have anywhere from one tree or hundreds of native trees depending on the integrity of the company. There’s no way to verify the quality or amount of habitat that’s actually protected on such farms unless they are inspected by a third party. Bird Friendly coffee is the only option on the market that guarantees 100% of coffee beans roasted and sold are grown in a way that protects habitat. If you cannot find or afford shade-grown coffee, organic is the next best option. Even though organic has no requirement for canopy cover, it does still ban the use of synthetic pesticides which indirectly harm birds by limiting or contaminating their food sources. Without a sustainability certification, it is more difficult to tell if your coffee comes from a farm that is hospitable for birds, but not impossible! Try to look for “relationship” coffees: small roasters in the U.S. who form ties with smallholder coffee communities to develop their product. These communities produce the majority of sustainably grown beans. This type of company will usually tell you about the communities or the farms where they’re buying their coffee in their branding and advertising. Promoting bird conservation hinges on supporting sustainable, smallholder coffee farms such as these.
Another small but significant detail: Robusta vs Arabica coffee beans
Arabica and Robusta are two distinctly different species of coffee bean. Arabica is most likely the species you know and love—with perceived greater quality and sweeter flavor, it makes up about 60 percent of the market. Robusta, on the other hand, is considered a lower-quality bean, and is often used to make instant coffee. In addition to quality and flavor, the strains are often distinguishable by price. If you don’t know much about the farm, it is generally a good idea to opt for arabica beans. This species is more commonly grown under at least partial shade, whereas robusta (which is a more sun and heat tolerant plant) is typically grown in more intensively managed steads with little canopy cover, which is a far worse environment for most birds and wildlife. If all else fails, look at the country of origin. This is a fairly unreliable way to determine a coffee’s sustainability, but there are some very broad generalizations that can be made concerning a coffee’s countries of origin. In Brazil and Vietnam, the two largest global producers of coffee, the vast majority of farming happens under high-intensity, full-sun conditions (without consideration for the health of the environment or wildlife). In other countries, like India, Ecuador, and Peru, a higher proportion of farmers grow their coffee under a canopy. Bear in mind that a country’s coffee growing conditions can turn on a dime based on political or economic changes.
Further actions you can take to live more Bird Friendly
1 Turn out lights and treat windows
It’s estimated that 1 billion birds are killed by window collisions annually in the US and Canada alone. During the daytime, birds perceive the reflection of glass as habitat that they can pass through, and by night, migratory birds drawn in by city lights are at high risk of colliding with buildings. To prevent collisions, consider using external insect screens to eliminate reflections and cushion birds’ impact. If window screens aren’t an option, you can break up reflections on the outside of windows using film, tempera paint, bird saving stick-on stripes or string spaced no more than 2-inches high or 2-inches wide. At night, be sure to turn off your lights or close the blinds.
2 Keep cats indoors
Cats are estimated to kill more than 2.4 billion birds annually in the U.S, making them the No. 1 human-caused reason for bird deaths, aside from habitat loss. There are over 100 million feral and pet cats roaming freely in the US and these non-native predators hunt and kill birds instinctively, even when they are well-fed. You can save birds and keep cats healthy by keeping your pet indoors or creating an outdoor “catio” for their fresh air and sunshine. You can also train your cat to walk on a leash. There are a plethora of enrichment toys available for indoor cats as well, which can help to keep them engaged and stimulated. Stray cats’ lives may be as short as two years because of disease and hardship, but they are responsible for 69% of birds killed by cats in the U.S. Consider speaking out about the impacts of feral cat colonies in your neighborhood and on public lands and becoming involved with local animal control and animal rescue missions to help capture them and place them into safe, loving homes.
3 Plant native species
Although this is not as much of an issue in rural areas, cities and neighborhoods don’t typically offer enough food or shelter for birds and other wildlife to safely rest during migration or to raise their young. Native plant species provide nectar, seeds, berries, and also attract insects which sustain birds and other wildlife. Adding native species to your yard, planter boxes, and other outdoor spaces also provides shelter and nesting areas. Additionally, with more than 63 million acres of lawn and 4 million miles of paved road in the United States, there is huge potential to support wildlife by replacing lawns with native plants. A good place to start is right in the Produce Department at the Blue Hill Co-op, where you can find an assortment of native wildflower seeds collected and prepared by 5 Star Nursery and Orchard in Brooklin, ME. You can also check out Audubon’s Native Plant Database to find out which species are best for your area.
4 Avoid pesticides
Most commercial pesticides – especially neonicotinoids and common weed killers, such as 2,4-D and glyphosate – are toxic to birds and other wildlife. These chemicals can harm birds through direct contact or indirectly if a bird eats contaminated seeds or prey. Pesticides also reduce the number of insects (pests and beneficial insects, alike) that birds rely on as food sources for survival. Consider buying organic bird seed and avoiding the use of pesticides around your home and garden, or opt for environmentally friendly products instead.
5 Avoid single-use plastics
Millions of tons of plastic have accumulated in landfills and the environment worldwide, polluting our oceans and harming wildlife such as seabirds, whales and turtles that mistakenly eat plastic or become entangled in it. Studies show that at least 80 seabird species regularly ingest plastic— cigarette lighters, toothbrushes and other trash have all been found in the stomachs of dead albatrosses. Try to avoid single-use plastics, including bags, bottles, wraps and disposable utensils. It is a far more environmentally friendly option to choose reusable or compostable items, but if you do use disposable plastic, be sure to recycle it. Advocate for the ban of plastic bags, styrofoam and straws and ask restaurants and other businesses to phase out single-use plastics. Check out Audubon’s article Eight Easy Ways to Reduce Your Plastic Waste to learn more.
6 Share your sightings on the e-Bird App
Monitoring birds is essential to helping protect them and reports from citizens about what they are seeing in their backyards, neighborhoods and communities gives scientists a clearer picture of how different species are thriving or declining and helps them determine where to focus their research and conservation efforts. The free smartphone app Merlin Bird ID can be used to identify birds (by sight and sound) and then you can share your sightings on the eBird app. You can also join a local birding project like Project FeederWatch, a Christmas Bird Count, or a Breeding Bird Survey to record your observations. To learn more or participate in a Maine Christmas Bird Count, visit Maine Audubon’s Christmas Bird Count page.
7 Choose Bird Friendly Products to protect habitat
More than 70 species of North American migratory songbirds overwinter in coffee and cocoa plantations in the tropics, including orioles, warblers and thrushes. Unfortunately, native trees are often removed from coffee and cocoa farms (full sun conditions tend to increase the volume of coffee or cocoa grown), leaving little or no habitat for migratory birds or tropical wildlife. As touched on earlier, the Bird Friendly certification was created by the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center and is the gold standard in environmental protection in coffee and cocoa growing landscapes. Bird Friendly certified coffee and cocoa preserves forest habitats and native trees that help migratory birds survive the winter and by choosing Bird Friendly certified coffee and chocolates, you are supporting the preservation of crucial habitat on coffee and cocoa growing farms.
For those of you who like your Joe on-the-go, be sure to head to small roasters or major retailers who serve certified shade-grown brands (such as Caribou Coffee). The Aroma Joe’s franchise and Mainely Coffee now serve Rainforest Alliance Certified coffee. Local to the Blue Hill Peninsula, 44 North Coffee in Deer Isle carries Rainforest Alliance certified blends and Bucklyn Coffee in Blue Hill serves both Bird Friendly and Rainforest Alliance certified blends. Here at the Blue Hill Co-op, we proudly stock Bucklyn Coffee and 44 North Coffee beans, pre-packaged and in bulk.
Resources:
Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute https://www.audubon.org/news/how-choose-bird-friendly-coffee
Blog by Sarah Scamperle, Marketing Assistant
Featured photo by Joey Jett, IT Systems Coordinator
