Shade Grown Coffee is For the Birds!

Bird Friendly Seal for Shade Grown Organic Coffee

There’s nothing like a hot, steaming cup of coffee to brighten your day!

While many consumers are selecting organic and fair trade coffee for their morning brew, shade-grown coffee certified as bird friendly should also be considered.

That’s right…. “bird friendly” coffee is grown in the shade in Latin America, under the cover of the trees and vegetation through which a number of North American birds migrate.  By keeping vegetation cover instead of clear-cutting for coffee plantations, the habitat for these migratory birds is also preserved.  Species that benefit from shade grown coffee include the ruby-throated hummingbird, the Baltimore oriole, and the American kestrel.

In other words, shade grown coffee is for the birds!

The National Zoo’s Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center (SMBC) reviews coffee production practices and certifies them as “bird friendly” if they meet certain criteria.  According to an SMBC press release:

“Bird Friendly is certified organic coffee produced on farms with a shade cover that provides a substantial and vital habitat for migratory and resident birds in tropical landscapes, which are increasingly threatened by deforestation globally at an unprecedented rate. The Bird Friendly criteria are the world’s most stringent standards for shade-grown coffee production. Migratory birds, including the popular Baltimore Oriole, are not only beautiful with vibrant songs, but are integral to tropical and temperate ecosystems alike, providing flower pollination and seed dispersal, among other roles.”

The vast majority of bird friendly, shade grown coffee is from Central and South America with a small percentage from Africa. Peru ranks first in bird friendly coffee production and together with Guatemala and Mexico, these countries make up 77% of all production.

Selecting bird friendly shade grown coffee helps preserve habitat for the migratory birds and other wildlife.  You can ensure that your coffee is eco-friendly by looking for SMBC’s Bird Friendly seal (above) or the Rainforest Alliance Certified seal on packaging.

Baltimore Oriole birds benefit from shade grown coffee practices

For information about purchasing Audubon Shade-Grown Organic Coffee, certified by the Rainforest Alliance and OCIA, visit www.audubon.org/market/licensed/coffee.htm