Bird Friendly Cities
Place-based visitor education module · About 10 minutes
Location: ____________________ Date: ____________________
Staff: invite participants to read each lesson, try the prompts, complete the check, and choose a pledge. No internet is needed for this sheet.
1. Meet your feathered neighbours
A city is more than a place for people. Trees, gardens, parks, and shorelines are homes and rest stops for birds. Some stay year-round; others stop to rest and refuel on long migrations. You don’t need to know a bird’s name to get to know it. Notice its size, shape, sounds, and how it moves. Watch quietly from a distance and give birds space, especially around nests.
Try it: Pause for one minute. Look up, listen, and see how many different birds you can notice.
2. Make windows safer
Birds can mistake reflections of trees and sky in glass for a clear flight path. A window that looks obvious to us can be invisible to a bird. Make glass visible with closely spaced markings on the outside surface, or use exterior screens. Cover the whole window: a single silhouette leaves large gaps that birds may try to fly through.
Try it: Look at a window from outside. Does it reflect trees or sky? Choose one window at home to make safer.
3. Grow a little bird habitat
Native plants help provide the food and shelter local birds need. Insects, seeds, and berries support birds through different seasons, and layers of plants offer places to hide and rest. Start with a native plant suited to your space. A balcony planter or a small garden can be a beginning. Leave some fallen leaves and seed heads where appropriate, and avoid using pesticides.
Try it: Find one place for a native plant. Ask a local native-plant nursery which species suits that space.
4. Keep cats and birds safe
Even well-fed cats instinctively hunt. Keeping cats from roaming freely helps protect birds and also reduces cats’ exposure to traffic, disease, and other outdoor hazards. An enclosed outdoor catio or supervised harness time lets cats enjoy fresh air without hunting wildlife. Indoors, play, climbing spaces, and window perches can provide enrichment.
Try it: If you have a cat, choose one way to enrich its indoor day or plan a secure outdoor enclosure.
5. Let the night be dark
Many migrating birds travel at night. Artificial light can attract and disorient them, especially around buildings. Darker nights help make their journeys safer. Turn off unnecessary lights, close blinds when lights are on inside, and use outdoor lighting only where and when it is needed. Shield outdoor lights downward and consider timers or motion sensors.
Try it: Tonight, switch off one unnecessary light and look for another light you could put on a timer.
Knowledge check
1. What helps birds recognize a window?
□ One small sticker in the corner
□ Closely spaced markings across the outside
□ Keeping the glass very clean
2. Which garden change supports local birds?
□ Planting a native shrub suited to the site
□ Removing every fallen leaf
□ Using pesticides to remove insects
3. Which action helps birds migrating at night?
□ Leaving decorative lights on
□ Lighting up trees
□ Turning off unnecessary lights
My bird-friendly pledge
□ Make one window safer
□ Plant something native
□ Keep my cat safely enriched
□ Switch off unnecessary lights
I will: _____________________________________
When: _____________________________________
Staff answer key
1. Closely spaced markings across the outside. Markings on the outside break up reflections. Covering the whole window reduces open gaps.
2. Planting a native shrub suited to the site. Native plants can provide food and shelter; insects are also an important food source for many birds.
3. Turning off unnecessary lights. Reducing unnecessary light helps keep the night sky darker for migrating birds.