Shade-grown coffee farms are a lifeline for birds that depend on forest-like environments to survive. These farms preserve canopy cover, native trees, and layered vegetation, which provide food and shelter.
Here are 15 migratory birds that thrive during the non-breeding season, thanks to shade-grown coffee farms in Central and South America.
During the warmer months, you can find these species across North America.
#1. Scarlet Tanager
Bright red with black wings, this migratory bird breeds in North America and winters in Central and South America. It relies on shade-grown coffee farms for food (insects and fruit) and safe resting areas during migration.
- Breeding Range: Eastern North America
- Non-breeding Range: Northwestern South America (Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru)
#2. Wood Thrush
Famous for its flute-like song, the Wood Thrush depends on forested areas in Central America during winter. It uses the leaf litter of shade coffee farms to forage for insects.
- Breeding Range: Eastern North America
- Non-breeding Range: Central America
#3. Baltimore Oriole
These vivid orange-and-black birds benefit from the native fruit-bearing trees in shade farms. They forage for nectar, insects, and ripe fruit in the canopy.
- Breeding Range: Eastern North America
- Non-breeding Range: Central America & Northwest South America
#4. Black-throated Green Warbler
This small warbler migrates to Central America, using the protective cover of shade coffee farms to forage for insects in the mid and upper canopy.
- Breeding Range: Eastern North America
- Non-breeding Range: Central America & Northwest South America
#5. Ruby-throated Hummingbird
These tiny, iridescent birds feed on nectar and small insects. Shade-grown farms often have native flowering plants and a steady supply of insects to sustain them.
- Breeding Range: Eastern North America
- Non-breeding Range: Central America
#6. Yellow Warbler
Often seen flitting through shrubs and trees, this bright yellow warbler feeds on insects and benefits from the natural diversity of shade farms.
- Breeding Range: All of North America
- Non-breeding Range: Central America & Northwest South America
#7. Summer Tanager
This all-red songbird is an insect specialist, especially fond of bees and wasps. It thrives in shade-grown environments with complex tree layers.
- Breeding Range: Southwest USA to Eastern USA
- Non-breeding Range: Central America & Northwest South America
#8. Gray Catbird
Recognizable by its cat-like calls and slate-gray plumage, the Gray Catbird thrives in dense thickets. Shade coffee farms provide ample shrub cover and insect prey during its winter stay.
- Breeding Range: Most of North America
- Non-breeding Range: Central America & Colombia
#9. Rose-breasted Grosbeak
With its bold red chest patch and thick bill, this grosbeak feasts on fruit, seeds, and insects. Shade coffee farms offer ideal foraging and shelter along their migratory route.
- Breeding Range: Central to Eastern North America
- Non-breeding Range: Central America & Northwest South America
#10. Tennessee Warbler
Despite its name, this warbler winters in Central America. It forages for insects and nectar in coffee farms that mimic natural forests.
- Breeding Range: Across all of Canada. Migrates through USA.
- Non-breeding Range: Central America & Northwest South America
#11. Western Tanager
These striking yellow and red birds migrate from western North America to Central America and find vital shelter and food in shade-grown areas.
- Breeding Range: Western North America
- Non-breeding Range: Central America
#12. Ovenbird
Named for its nest shape, the Ovenbird uses the leaf litter on the forest floor of shade coffee farms to forage for insects.
- Breeding Range: Central to Eastern North America
- Non-breeding Range: Central America, Colombia, Venezuela & Florida.
#13. Chestnut-sided Warbler
Prefers early successional forests and finds insect-rich foliage and shrubs in shade-grown environments during winter migration.
- Breeding Range: Central to Eastern North America
- Non-breeding Range: Central America, Caribbean islands, & Northwest South America
#14. Common Yellowthroat
This small warbler, with a distinctive black mask, favors low, dense vegetation. The understory and moist edges of shade farms provide it with excellent cover and abundant insect life.
- Breeding Range: Across North America
- Non-breeding Range: Central America
#15. Black-and-white Warbler
Known for creeping along tree trunks like a nuthatch, this species needs older, mature trees, which are often preserved in shade coffee systems.
- Breeding Range: Central to Eastern North America
- Non-breeding Range: Central America & Northwest South America
Why Shade-Grown Coffee Farms Matter:
Shade-grown coffee farms mimic natural ecosystems and provide critical habitat for hundreds of bird species, many of which are declining due to habitat loss.
By choosing coffee grown under the shade and certified as Bird Friendly, you support conservation and biodiversity with every cup.