Bird City Maryland

Bird City Maryland is a program of the Maryland Bird Conservation Partnership that offers public recognition for all communities (cities, counties, and campuses) in Maryland that implement sound bird conservation practices.

Bird City Maryland logo with an illustration of a Common Yellowthroat and houses

The Bird City Maryland mission is to encourage all communities in Maryland to implement sound bird-conservation practices by offering public recognition to those that succeed in (a) enhancing the environment for birds and (b) educating the public about the interactions between birds and people and about the contributions birds make to a healthy community.

Bird City Maryland is part of the Bird City network, a partnership of the American Bird Conservancy and Environment for the Americas, with major support from US Fish & Wildlife Service. The Network unites Bird City Programs across the hemisphere into a powerful collaborative force for birds, bringing people together in their home communities to make them healthier for birds and for people.

The Bird City Maryland public recognition program

  • Celebrates existing community actions

  • Educates communities about issues and solutions

  • Motivates communities to create and protect habitat, address threats to birds, educate and engage people, and promote sustainability

As of September 2025, there are 13 Bird City Maryland communities. To find out if your community is a Bird City, or to learn how to help your community become one, visit the Bird City network website.

TOP TEN REASON TO BECOME A BIRD CITY

  1. COMMUNITY PRIDE: Present the positive image that people want for the place where they live and conduct business.

  2. CONSERVATION REPUTATION: Promote and grow your community’s environmental reputation by participating in a state-wide conservation program and by displaying our beautiful Bird City Maryland signs in your community.

  3. SAVE MONEY: Without birds, we would have to spend more money on pest control and keeping natural systems in balance.

  4. MAKE MONEY: Birds are critical to Maryland's tourism industry. Wildlife watching in Maryland generates 450 million dollars in economic activity annually.

  5. ECOSYSTEM HEALTH: Sustain healthy natural ecosystems by helping to maximize the number of native species in your community.

  6. FAMILY AND EXERCISE: Birding and spending time in nature gets the whole family outside for fresh air, exercise, and relaxation!

  7. UNDERSTAND NATURE: Birds teach us about the interconnectedness of humans and nature and show how vulnerable wildlife can be to human actions.

  8. IMPROVE THE ENVIRONMENT: Managing green space to benefit birds not only creates better habitat for birds but also improves conditions for a host of other species… including people!

  9. DO IT FOR PEOPLE: Build community spirit, foster new public-private sector partnerships, and make your community a nicer place to live.

  10. DO IT FOR BIRDS: Conservation actions combat population declines in Maryland’s birds and the other species that use the same habitats.