Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center

Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center SMBC is dedicated to understanding, conserving and championing the grand phenomenon of bird migration Legal & Terms of Use: s.si.edu/legal

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08/17/2026

Did you know that birds use water-filled tree holes in the forest canopy to bathe and drink? 🌳🛁🦜

Smithsonian Bird Friendly researcher Becca Brunner was a co-author on a short paper, led by Jeanine Richards of The Morpho Institute, that recently documented this behavior in lots of tropical bird species in the Peruvian Amazon. Native trees provide many other resources for birds, including food and shelter. Conserving forests and providing shade trees in coffee and cacao help birds in so many ways, so keep drinking Bird Friendly Coffee to protect those trees and the crucial resources they provide to birds and other biodiversity!

Check out the paper at https://s.si.edu/4wjTO80

Video credit: David Madden

Last month, an investigation published by watchdog group Coffee Watch showed that coffee production in Vietnam — the wor...
08/14/2026

Last month, an investigation published by watchdog group Coffee Watch showed that coffee production in Vietnam — the world’s second largest producer of coffee — has led to significant deforestation in the country. In the Central Highlands where 95% of the country’s coffee is grown, forest cover declined from about 43% in 1990 to 19% in 2020. Forest loss is a major threat to biodiversity, particularly in tropical forests which support an especially high number of plant and animal species.

Thankfully, coffee grown sustainably under Smithsonian’s Bird Friendly certification can be part of the solution! Smithsonian’s Bird Friendly Coffee program certifies farms that conserve biodiversity either through agroforestry — the cultivation of diverse, native trees over coffee plants — or through our forest conservation pathway which requires that coffee farms to conserve 40% of their land as uncultivated forest. Research from Bird Friendly’s science team and from our partners show that both approaches are effective strategies to conserve birds and other wildlife. To find out where you can purchase your own Bird Friendly coffee and be a part of the solution, visit us at: https://s.si.edu/4fS6Rsx.

To read the full report, visit https://s.si.edu/3Surt10

Photo credit: Stef vnmq, Creative Commons

When Bird Friendly researchers get together, it's all smiles!This past week, members of the Bird Friendly team and our c...
08/12/2026

When Bird Friendly researchers get together, it's all smiles!

This past week, members of the Bird Friendly team and our collaborators convened to share their work at the American Ornithological Society Conference in Amherst, Massachusetts. It was a week of learning and sharing and building community, all of which supports the work of the Bird Friendly program. To learn more about the program, visit https://s.si.edu/4qeTwOz.

Pictured (left to right): Leah Crenshaw, Katherine Araúz-Ponce, Ruth Bennett, Liza Morse and Miguel Ángel Muñoz-Amaya.
Photo credit: Ruth Bennett

Commonly found in the shade canopy foraging for large flies, caterpillars, and other leaf-eating insects, the Cerulean W...
05/22/2026

Commonly found in the shade canopy foraging for large flies, caterpillars, and other leaf-eating insects, the Cerulean Warbler plays an important role in insect pest control on coffee farms!

🌿🌸 Spring is here, and so are the migratory birds! 🌸🌿We’d love to hear from you—what migratory birds have you spotted so...
05/12/2026

🌿🌸 Spring is here, and so are the migratory birds! 🌸🌿

We’d love to hear from you—what migratory birds have you spotted so far this season? 🐦 Whether it's a familiar favorite or a new sighting, share your spring birdwatching experiences with us in the comments below! 📸✨

Did you know? The Hoatzin, or "stinkbird," has a unique digestive system that ferments leaves, producing a strong odor. ...
05/08/2026

Did you know? The Hoatzin, or "stinkbird," has a unique digestive system that ferments leaves, producing a strong odor. Its chicks even have claws on their wings, helping them climb back into trees—just like ancient birds from the dinosaur era!

Tomorrow is World Migratory Bird Day! Fuel your next morning birdwatching session with a coffee that supports birds and ...
05/08/2026

Tomorrow is World Migratory Bird Day! Fuel your next morning birdwatching session with a coffee that supports birds and the environment.

When you drink Smithsonian Bird Friendly-certified coffee, you are protecting critical habitat for hundreds of bird species, including many migratory species you may see in your own backyard. Learn more about how you can help save migratory birds by visiting birdfriendly.si.edu

Photo: Ellie Tahmaseb, Smithsonian

04/29/2026

Bird Friendly® farms aren’t just beneficial for birds–they also help support the ecosystem as a whole!

04/28/2026

Birds are in trouble, but you can help bring them back. Live bird friendly by starting with these seven ways to make your home and lifestyle better for birds and the planet.

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