Criteria
1. Provide Native Plants
- Maintain a native plant area on organizational property.
- Organize/join a native planting volunteer event resulting in a new native planting area or supporting an existing one.
2. Improve Habitat
- Maintain a Bird-Friendly water feature on property (e.g. bioswales, ponds, streams, bird baths, bird drip, or wetland)
- Install nest boxes or feeders on property.
- If not possible for your organization, discuss alternative options as part of partnership application process.
3. Window Collisions
- Deploy anti-bird strike strategies on property.
- Go “Lights Out for Birds”.
- In the event that your property or organization has no windows or lighting to manage, this criterion is waived.
4. Limiting Other Threats
- Limit pesticide use on property (e.g. pesticide-free zones, adopting an Integrated Pest Management Plan, or going fully pesticide-free).
- Reduce organizational plastic consumption by a matter of ongoing policy or practice (one-off events do not qualify).
- Monitor for and then remove or actively reduce cat colonies on property.
5. Connect With Others
- Promote your actions as a Bird-Friendly Community Parter across media channels.
- Devoted resource to highlight aspects of your Bird-Friendly initiatives. For example: install interpretive signage or devote a webpage to promote your initiatives.
- Host a regular bird survey/walk on property.
6. Co-Produce Programming with Houston Audubon
- The most creative aspect of being a Bird-Friendly Community Partner. This initiative will be unique to each organization, and we can work together to achieve this final step! Past examples include: co-creating an educational event or content, or becoming formal partners for a larger scale community project.
