Answering the Call Saving North

American Songbirds

North American Songbirds are commonly seen in New England, and you may recognize many of the species including Downy woodpeckers, Black-capped chickadees, Blue Jays, and Northern Cardinals, to name a few.

Keep a look out on your next visit for the many ways in which we are participating in this important initiative, including:

• Certified Bird Friendly coffee thanks to our partners at Fogbuster Coffee Works, soon to be available at locations throughout the Zoo

This year, your Roger Williams Park Zoo is expanding its conservation efforts to protecting North American songbirds by partnering with the Association of Zoo and Aquariums’ (AZA) Saving Animals from Extinction: North American Songbird (NAS SAFE) program.

Since 1970, North American bird populations have suffered a net decline of approximately three billion birds. Many of the species with the greatest declines are North American songbirds.

The NAS SAFE program focuses on native songbird conservation and preserving, enhancing, and building native habitats. This program also begins to address reducing contaminants that affect North American songbirds, promoting bird friendly coffee, participating in citizen science, and reducing North American songbird trafficking.

• Installation of more native plants to provide food and refuge to birds

• New decals on windows to prevent bird collisions

• Bird houses designed specifically for local songbirds

And stay tuned for more information on upcoming bird walks and a new bird feeder live streaming webcam!

Simple Actions to Live Bird Friendly:

Help make your home and lifestyle better for birds and the planet.

• Turn lights out and treat windows OR put up bird anticollision window stickers to help keep birds safe

• Reduce evening lighting during peak migratory seasons

• Keep cats indoors to save birds

• Plant native plants to shelter and nourish birds

• Purchase certified sustainable paper products to help preserve the nesting grounds of boreal forest songbirds

• Avoid pesticides for a bird-friendly home

• Drink Bird Friendly® coffee to protect disappearing habitats

• Avoid single-use plastics to protect birds and the planet