Drinking what we love: the link between birds and coffee

12/07/21 • 36 min

1 Listener

When it comes to coffee and birds there’s a surprising amount we can learn. Many of our beloved migrant birds spend their winters in southern climes. In coffee plantations in fact. Shade-grown, organic, fair-trade, and bird-friendly coffee – what’s up with all the certifications? What difference does it make if my coffee is certified bird-friendly?
Dr. Ana Gonzalez grew up among the coffee plantations of Colombia and is now living in Canada. Ana tells us about her work and the important role coffee plays in the lives of many bird species that are in trouble. And the role we can play in helping them.
Research and conservation actions by Ana and collaborators have been supported by Environment and Climate Change Canada, Selva, Birds Canada, University of Saskatchewan, Nature Canada, Selva and other local partners.
Ready to get your bird-friendly coffee? Visit www.birdsandbeans.ca/warblers - using this link will automatically apply the code. You can also use the code "Warblers" when you check out. The code helps us measure the positive impact of the podcast on bird-friendly coffee sales. Please note this option is only valid for purchases in Canada.
Find out more about the importance of making the switch.
Dr. Ana González-Prieto is an avian conservation ecologist. She integrates behavioural and demographic field data with tracking techniques; providing foundational scientific information needed to support international and local conservation strategies for Neotropical migrants of conservation concern. Ana’s work has been recognized recently through receipt of several awards including the BioOne Ambassador Award and the James G. Cooper Early Professional Award, presented by the American Ornithological Society. She obtained her PhD and MSc degree from the University of Saskatchewan, and has held postdoctoral fellowships at Simon Fraser University (Mitacs), the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Research Center, and Environment and Climate Change Canada. Her research experience spans from her natal Colombia to North America during the full annual cycle of migratory birds. Ana has lived in 6 different provinces from Quebec to British Columbia but has now settled in White Rock BC, where she currently works for the Science and Technology Branch of ECCC.
Andrea Gress studied Renewable Resource Management at the University of Saskatchewan. She pivoted towards birds, after an internship in South Africa. Upon returning, she worked with Piping Plovers in Saskatchewan and now coordinates the Ontario Piping Plover Conservation Program for Birds Canada. Follow her work at @ontarioplovers
Andrés Jiménez is a Costa Rican wildlife biologist with a keen interest in snakes, frogs, birds and how human relationships are interconnected with the living world. He studied Tropical Biology in Costa Rica and has a Masters in Environmental Problem Solving from York University. He is Birds Canada's Urban Program Coordinator and you can follow him at @andresjimo
Friendly Day by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100223

Artist: http://incompetech.com/

Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100223

Artist: http://incompetech.com/

Previous Episode

Feeding Birds the Right Way

Should we feed birds? When and why? These are some of the questions we explore with Kerrie Wilcox, Birds Canada’s bird feeding expert. With decades of experience leading Project FeederWatch, Kerrie explains the value of observing the birds in your yard and what the data tells us about bird population trends. And what watching ‘our’ birds contributes to our own well-being.
We’ll also talk to experts to answer some of the amazing questions listeners submitted. Together, we learn why some birds change colour, why birds have different flight styles, different types of nests and what is the most diverse family of birds.
Kerrie Wilcox manages Project FeederWatch in Canada, a program that turns people’s bird feeding hobby into research for conservation. Participants feed birds in their backyards and send counts of those birds to us online. She loves feeling the enthusiasm and commitment of the volunteers. We have learned so much about the winter distributions and movements of birds in North America through Project FeederWatch.
Make sure to join Project Feeder Watch by visiting: https://www.birdscanada.org/you-can-help/project-feederwatch/
Stu MacKenzie is responsible for the Motus Wildlife Tracking System, Long Point Bird Observatory, Thunder Cape Bird Observatory, and aspects of the Canadian Migration Monitoring Network.
Catherine Dale is a Ph.D. in bird migration patterns in Western Bluebirds breeding in British Columbia, and leads the Breeding Bird Atlas in Newfoundland!
Santiago Claramut is Associate Curator of Birds at the Royal Ontario Museum. He is also a cross-appointed Assistant Professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Toronto
Want to treat your windows to save birds? Visit Feather Friendly and get the DIY tape. Use the code, BirdsCanada, and Feather Friendly will make a donation to Birds Canada.
We thank Rob Porter from Songbirding Podcast for sharing bird recordings, check out his podcast!

Next Episode

Drinking what we love: the case for a bird-friendly coffee revolution

Wondering what you can do to help birds? Drink (the right) coffee! Specifically, bird-friendly certified coffee. Bird-Friendly coffee is great for birds and people, yet many bird lovers haven’t made the switch. Kirstin Hill from the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Centre joins us to talk about why it’s important to buy bird-friendly CERTIFIED coffee. Spoiler Alert! Canadians drink copious amounts of coffee and by switching to a certified alternative we can have a massive impact on the birds we see flying outside our windows, going to their South American grounds. If you haven't listened to part 1 of our Holiday series special, be sure to listen to Ana Gonzalez-Prieto about what coffee plantations mean for birds.
Ready to get your bird-friendly coffee? Visit www.birdsandbeans.ca/warblers - using this link will automatically apply the code. You can also use the code "Warblers" when you check out. The code helps us measure the positive impact of the podcast on bird-friendly coffee sales. Please note this option is only valid for purchases in Canada.
Or visit www.drinkbirdfriendly.com to find the right option for you.

Kirsten Hill: Kirstin Hill is the incoming Program Manager for Smithsonian Bird Friendly coffee. She is a conservationist at heart and an educator by training, with over a decade of experience working to engage audiences in the protection of wildlife and wild places. A native of Philadelphia, PA, Kirstin now resides in the Metro Vancouver area where she is working to increase the sale and support of Bird Friendly coffee not just for Vancouverites, but for coffee drinkers across Canada and around the world.
Andrea Gress studied Renewable Resource Management at the University of Saskatchewan. She pivoted towards birds, after an internship in South Africa. Upon returning, she worked with Piping Plovers in Saskatchewan and now coordinates the Ontario Piping Plover Conservation Program for Birds Canada. Follow her work at @ontarioplovers
Andrés Jiménez is a Costa Rican wildlife biologist with a keen interest in snakes, frogs, birds and how human relationships are interconnected with the living world. He studied Tropical Biology in Costa Rica and has a Masters in Environmental Problem Solving from York University. He is Birds Canada's Urban Program Coordinator and you can follow him at @andresjimo
Friendly Day by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100223

Artist: http://incompetech.com/