09/18/2026
Not all coffee is created equal. Some coffee is better for birds!
Did you know your morning cup of coffee can help migratory songbirds? ☕
Many of North America’s migratory warblers, including Tennessee, Blackburnian, and Black-and-white Warblers, spend their winters in Mexico, Central America, and South America, including in and around coffee farms across the region.
When coffee is grown beneath a diverse canopy of shade trees, these farms provide important habitat alongside surrounding forests and other habitats birds rely on. Insects, fruits, and nectar in the trees and shrubs help birds build the energy reserves they need for their journey north. Shade-grown coffee farms provide habitat for at least 42 species of Neotropical migratory songbirds. Keeping native trees benefits farmers and maintains habitat that would be lost if shade is removed and coffee is grown as an unshaded monoculture.
Not all “shade-grown” coffee is the same. The term isn’t regulated and can describe everything from diverse, forest-like farms to coffee grown beneath a few sparse or heavily pruned trees. If you want to know whether a coffee farm meets specific habitat standards, look for a third-party certification like the Smithsonian’s Bird Friendly® seal.
Read more about bird-friendly, shade-grown coffee at the link below:
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/news/in-colombia-shade-grown-coffee-sustains-songbirds-and-people-alike/
