Habitat Hero Resources

Tools and information for creating a bird-friendly garden.

Want to create a bird-friendly garden with native plants or improve your existing one? Follow these five steps and browse the following resources to get started! Have a valuable resource you want to share with us? Contact Jamie Weiss, Habitat Hero coordinator at jweiss@audubon.org or (970) 416-6931.

Step 1: Learn About the Benefits of Native Plants

Native plants provide food and shelter for local birds and wildlife. They require less water and fewer chemicals to maintain, which makes them better for the environment. And of course, they're beautiful!

Habitat Hero

Why Native Plants Are Better for Birds and People

Bird-friendly landscaping provides food, saves water, and fights climate change.

Read more

Habitat Hero

Bird-Friendly Plants FAQ

Got questions? We have answers.

Read more

Habitat Hero

How to Make Your Yard Bird-Friendly

Grow a beautiful garden that provides a safe haven for birds in the face of climate change.

Read more

Step 2: Find Native Plants

Find plants that are native to your zip code using Audubon's Native Plants Database. By selecting plants that are adapted to your local climate, you'll minimize or eliminate the need for water, fertilizers, and pesticides. Browse our partners' lists below for more ideas.

Additional Native Plant Lists

Step 3: Design Your Habitat Hero Garden

You now know which plants are native to your area; the next step is to figure out how to plant them in a way that maximizes their vitality and benefit to wildlife.

Habitat Hero

So You Have Your List of Native Plants. Now What?

Doing a little prep and research before you go to the nursery will save headaches and ensure you build the best habitat possible.

Read more

Habitat Hero Resources

Bird-friendly Garden Designs

Download these free designs to create bird habitat in your garden.

Read more

Habitat Hero

Plan a Habitat Hero Garden

Detailed, step-by-step, instructions for planning a Habitat Hero garden.

Read more

Pre-planned Gardens

Want an expert to take care of the planning process for you? Here are two businesses whose proceeds support Habitat Hero.

Habitat Hero Birdwatcher Pre-Planned Garden

Together with High County Gardens we created the Habitat Hero Birdwatcher Pre-Planned Garden. This carefully selected collection of plants will attract and benefit songbirds and other beneficial pollinators. This 7’x12’ garden-in-a-box has a great variety of perennials, shrubs, and ornamental grasses. High Country Gardens proudly supports the mission of Audubon Rockies by donating some of the proceeds with every garden sold!

Earth Love Gardens

Audubon Rockies has partnered with Earth Love Gardens to offer Habitat Hero-certified garden designs and installations! Through Earth Love Gardens or one of their partnered professional landscaping companies, a custom design will be created for your yard that features a diversity of native plant species, a nest box, and more resources to help you provide habitat for birds. Part of the proceeds will support Habitat Hero.

Step 4: Purchase and Plant Native Plants

Find Plants

Native Plant Retailers

Find a recommended garden center or nursery with native plants near you.

Step 5: Certify Your Habitat Hero Garden

A Rufous Hummingbird drinks nectar from a Showy Milkweed.

Rufous Hummingbird. Photo: Tom Koerner/USFWS

Inspire others to create wildlife habitat and beautify your community.

Apply

Step 6: Expand Your Impact

Once you have a passion for bird-friendly gardening, you can expand your impact by sharing it with others. Birds and other wildlife need us to make a cultural shift in the way we treat our lawns and gardens. Informing your community about the benefits of native plants is one of the most powerful actions you can take.