But debt-strapped nations seeking to boost exports have taken steps to modernize coffee growing. The problem is that no shade means no birds. Sun coffee requires cutting down trees to grow coffee in the open, and lots of chemicals and fertilizers become necessary. Once people hear about shade coffee, many want to buy it. By purchasing coffee that is grown in the shade, consumers help keep shade coffee economically viable while preserving increasingly scarce habitat for migratory neotropical birds.
Birds travel to and from the neotropics with built-in survival kits.
Human travel and bird migration offer fascinating similarities and differences. We hope you'll follow her example, and remember to report YOUR feeder up, too. When orioles migrate, they will face hunger and danger as they move through unfamiliar territory. We can help them by offering food to keep up their energy as they pass through, and by growing the kinds of plants that will provide homes for them to stay and nest. It's as easy as cutting an orange in half, and setting the halves on a deck railing or flat feeder.