Bird & Butterfly Habitat Recognition Program
Better for birds, better for the environment
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Everyone can attract birds to their home by choosing native plants - and give our feathered friends the food and shelter they need to thrive, all year long.
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Why Go Native?​
By growing a native plant garden, each patch of habitat you create becomes part of a collective effort to repair and sustain the living landscape for birds. Native plants provide essential, nourishing food in the form of nuts, seeds and fruit for birds and nectar for pollinators. Natives also host many insects - particularly moth and butterfly caterpillars - that young birds need to grow healthy and strong.
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Since native plants are adapted to local precipitation and soil conditions, they don't need artificial fertilizers or pesticides, and generally require less upkeep - therefore helping the environment and saving you time, water and money.
Getting Started
The key to getting started is picking the right plants for your area. Remember, there are thousands of native plants out there, many unique to our part of the country. To find the best plants for our area, visit Audubon's native plant database at audubon.org/nativeplants and also get connected to the Florida Native Plant Society. Growing bird-friendly plants will attract and protect the birds you love while making your space beautiful, easy to care for, and better for the environment. Explore additional native plant resources at audubon.org/plantsforbirds, including factsheets on creating a native plant garden and how it can save you money.
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If you're already part of the bird-friendly movement - planting natives for food and cover, filling feeders, providing a clean source of water, removing invasive species, eliminating harmful chemicals and providing opportunities to raise young by keeping snags (standing dead trees) or adding birdhouses - click the link below to complete a simple survey that we will review to recognize your yard as a bird and butterfly habitat.