Native Plants for Migratory Birds

Discover the incredible journeys of migratory birds and how to welcome them to your garden with plants they love! Every backyard and greenspace has the potential to serve as a critical rest stop for migratory birds. By understanding plant-bird relationships, we can provide the high-energy fuel birds need to survive their journeys. Whether you're a homeowner, community gardener, greenspace steward, or nature enthusiast looking to connect local plant choices with wildlife conservation, this class is for you. We'll start by exploring what makes a bird migratory, share an inspiring story of one specific bird's journey, and review a curated list of native plant partnerships. Along the way, you'll learn about the mechanics of seasonal migrations, how to pair regional flora with the dietary and shelter needs of traveling birds, and more. As the class comes to a close, we'll wrap up with a fun bird trivia quiz. Our goal is that you'll leave feeling inspired and ready to install native plants in your space to attract and provide for more of the migratory birds that you'd like to see. From Luis, your instructor for the class: "My connection to birding started in the Gulf Coast of Texas in 2016, where I started out in wetland ecosystems. I often saw whooping cranes, sandhill cranes, painted buntings, roseate spoonbills, indigo buntings, purple martins—the list goes on. Because of how hurricanes have impacted the area, a lot of the natural coast in Texas has been chipped away, removing critical native wildlife habitat. Around the world, there are similar stories like this, where environmental and anthropogenic events negatively affect the native wildlife. All of these stories inspire me to ask: What can we, as native plant enthusiasts, do to help support this cause in our own way?" INSTRUCTOR: Luis Aguilar-Dwyer (CGC Environmental Education Specialist) COST: $20 / $15 for active CGC volunteers