International

Migratory Bird

Day (IMBD),

held annually

on the second

Saturday in

May, is an

invitation to

celebrate and

support

migratory bird

conservation.

IMBD Information

web http://birds.fws.gov/imbd.html

phone 703/358-2318

IMBD Sales

web http://www.BirdDay.org

phone 1-866/334-3330

January 2001

It is the outright loss of habitat as a

result of human population growth and

development that is chiefly responsible

for bird population declines. Where

development is necessary, however,

people can make choices to minimize the

impacts to wildlife. A notable example is

traditional coffee plantations, where

coffee shrubs are grown under a canopy

of diverse trees. These tropical farms

harbor an abundance of birds, including

some of the prettiest songbirds that

arrive in North America each spring.

Where Does Coffee Come From?

Coffee plants evolved as understory

shrubs in the forests of Ethiopia and the

Sudan. As people discovered the

stimulating beverage made from the

seeds of the coffee fruit (coffee “beans”),

the cultivation of coffee spread globally,

first to the Middle East, then to Europe,

and by the 18th century, to Latin

America. Coffee thrived in the New

World, and since World War II, Mexico,

Central America, and northern South

America have produced one-third to twothirds of the world’s coffee.

Until recently, most coffee in the

Americas was grown in the shade, in

keeping with coffee’s wild ancestry. On

shade farms, coffee is grown under

existing forest cover, or more often,

under a cover of trees expressly planted

by the farmer. In addition to shade, the

tree cover provides protection from

damaging storms and contributes to soil

quality. Trees help to hold soil in place,

and the roots of some trees fix nitrogen

in the soil, while fallen leaves provide a

natural mulch. The trees also offer

shelter for pest-eating predators and a

source of additional forest products, such

as fruits, wood, vegetables, nuts, and

medicinal plants.

Shade Coffee and

Migratory Birds

The IMBD 2001 Theme

Traditional Farms Provide Habitat

Traditional shade coffee farms include

layers of other plants and trees, and thus

resemble natural forest. These farms can

satisfy the needs of birds dependent on

forests or other heavily vegetated areas

for food and shelter. The tree foliage and

leaf litter provide foraging sites for birds

seeking insects, spiders or other small

prey. The “air-plants”—epiphytes—that

grow on the branches of tropical forest

trees are particularly attractive to birds,

holding water and numerous organisms

within their leaves. Flowering and

fruiting trees provide additional food

sources. However, the fruit of the nonnative coffee shrubs is not an important

food source, and far fewer species are

found in the coffee plants than in the

forest vegetation overhead.

Studies have shown that coffee

plantations with significant shading—

greater than 40 percent coverage—by a

canopy that is structurally complex and

comprised of a diversity of tree species,

harbor a variety of birds second only to

that found in undisturbed forests. This

includes birds that

reside in Latin

America year-round,

as well as birds that

bring color and music

to North America in

the spring.
Trouble in Paradise

Beginning in the 1970s, due to concerns

about a damaging coffee fungus and a

desire for higher yields, major changes

occurred in the New World coffee

industry. Varieties of coffee that would

grow when planted densely in the sun

were developed, and major portions of

coffee cropland were converted to

production of these “sun coffees.” Farms

with these varieties do produce

substantially increased yields, but also

have significant drawbacks. As tree cover

is removed, coffee crops require more

chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and

herbicides; they become more susceptible

to drought; require more frequent plant

replacement; and begin to have problems

with soil erosion and toxic runoff as well

as soil acidification.

When coffee plantations are converted to

sun production, the diversity of birds

plummets. Full-sun coffee farms host

only a fraction—25 to as little as five

percent—of the number of bird species

on nearby shade farms.

Make a Difference, Drink Shade Coffee

Next to oil, coffee is the most valuable

legal export in the world, with North

America accounting for over a third of

consumption. Thus, coffee drinkers can

make a tremendous contribution to bird

conservation by selecting brands

produced from shade-grown plants. Over

the past five years, many organizations

and businesses have been working to

promote shade coffee, as well as develop

certification criteria so that consumers

can be sure that coffee labeled “shadegrown” is truly produced in a fashion

beneficial to birds.

Shade coffee is currently marketed as

speciality product, but it is not hard to

find. With a few phone calls or on-line

searches, and a little taste-testing, you

should be able to find a product and

provider that’s right for your situation as

an individual, coffee club member,

retailer, or concessioner.

By selecting shade coffee, you will be

protecting important wintering habitat for:

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Wood Thrush

Red-Eyed Vireo

Black-throated Green Warbler

Ovenbird

Wilson’s Warbler

American Redstart

Northern Oriole

Western Tanager

Scarlet Tanager

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Indigo Bunting

and dozens of other migrating birds!

Shade coffee may be a bit more

expensive than sun coffee, but aren’t

these birds worth it?

Some Sources of Shade-Grown Coffee

Shade coffee is available through a

variety of souces:

■ The International Migratory Bird

Day 2001 Products Catalog, on-line

at http://www.BirdDay.org

■ Progressive grocery stores such as

Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods Market/

Fresh Fields, and Ukrops

■ Wildlife-related gift shops such as

Wild Bird Centers, Wild Birds

Unlimited, and zoo stores

■ Coffee shops and cafes

■ On-line, using lists provided by:

Smithsonian Migratory Bird

Center’s Coffee Corner

(http://www.si.edu/smbc/coffee.htm)

The Rainforest Alliance’s

Conservation Agriculture Program

(http://www.rainforest-alliance.org/

programs/cap/programdescription3.html)

Northwest Shade Coffee Campaign

(http://www.seattleaudubon.org/

Coffee/home.html)

Atlanta Audubon Society

(http://www.atlantaaudubon.org/

pages/sgcfacts.htm)

Other sources on the IMBD website

(http://birds.fws.gov/imbd.html)

If you want to see shade coffee in your

local grocery store, ask the manager to

stock your favorite brand.