Introducing the Richmond Audubon Society Bird-Friendly Habitat Certification Program (BFHC)

Making a few changes to your yard can have enormous benefits for our local birds. Our program is based on five pillars that are designed to make any property - big or small - more bird friendly.

1. Plant native plants. Planting a diversity of native plants is the best way you can support local birds. Native plants host insects and provide berries and seeds that our birds need to survive. To maximize your impact, include habitat layers (trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants) and prioritize keystone species like oaks and goldenrods that support the most insects. 
2. Address threats to birds. Reducing human-induced threats like invasive plants, outdoor cats, indiscriminate insecticides (like mosquito sprays), and rodenticides will protect both the birds in your yard and those that call the James River Park System home. 
3. Steward wildlife. A bird-friendly habitat also supports the other wildlife that call Richmond home. In particular, creating insect habitat by leaving the leaves on the ground and leaving the stems of your native plants supports pollinators and other beneficial insects that birds need to survive.
4. Protect our watershed. Our yards are all interconnected and feed into the James River and Chesapeake Bay watersheds. Avoid synthetic fertilizers and follow water-friendly practices to help protect our watershed.
5. Engage with your neighbors. Talk with your neighbors about bird-friendly practices, volunteer with one of the many organizations in Richmond working to promote native plants and urban wildlife, or find other words to promote safe habitats for birds.

After completing the intake form and providing a native plant list, we will match you with a pair of trained volunteers who will visit your home, conduct a property walkthrough, and talk with you about bird-friendly practices. After the visit, you will receive a written report that identifies your certification level (silver, gold or platinum) and provides suggestions on how to continue to improve your habitat. You will also receive a yard sign with a sticker that indicates your certification level. If you don’t yet qualify but commit to following bird-friendly practices, you will receive an “Under Construction” sign.

There is a suggested donation of $25 for Audubon Society members and $35 for non-Audubon Society members to help us cover the costs of the program, including the certification sign. If you make improvements that help you move to a new certification level, we will come back out and provide you with a new sticker or sign to indicate your new certification level.

Click here to sign-up for a site visit! Review our certification rubric to see if you qualify for one of our three certification levels. You will need to provide a list of native plant species in your yard at the time you apply. If you don’t yet qualify but commit to making your yard more bird friendly, you will receive an “Under Construction” sign. Just getting started? We will start offering consultations this fall. Fill out this form to be notified when we start offering consultations.

Most of our volunteers live in the Richmond metro area (City, Henrico and Chesterfield counties-roughly the area bounded by 288 and 295). If you live outside of the area shown in yellow below, please email ras.bhfc@gmail.com to see if a volunteer is available to travel to your home-we can likely accommodate requests outside this area.

For our inaugural year, we will focus on private homes with lots up to 1 acre. However, we hope to expand next year to public areas. Contact ras.bfhc@gmail.com if you have any questions.

• Certification Rubric 
• Certification Visit Request

• Introduction to the BFHC (from The Thrasher)
• Native Plants and Birds (from The Thrasher)
• Addressing Threats to Birds (from The Thrasher)
• Our Resource Guide has helpful links to plant guides, native plant nurseries, and other resources to help you get started
• Statement on Native Plants

Check out our merchandise store to get a BFHC shirt or hat!