Bird City Network
Frederick County is a member jurisdiction of Bird County Maryland. The Bird County Maryland, Bird City Maryland, and Bird City Maryland – Bird Campus programs are administrated by the Maryland Bird Conservation Partnership, and they unite counties, cities, and college campuses in Maryland with other communities throughout the western hemisphere to envision and complete bird-friendly actions. Frederick County is also the first designated Bird County in the State of Maryland.
Frederick County joined Bird County Maryland in recognition of the fact that birds are an easily observable ecosystem health indicator. They are sensitive to environmental changes, they occupy a high position in the food chain, and their populations can fluctuate significantly in response to alterations in their habitat. In other words, the health of bird populations can tell us a lot about the health of our local environment. Taking actions that are beneficial to the health of birds can also be beneficial to the health of residents of Frederick County.
This page is a hub for the Bird City Network activities in Frederick County. Please visit the Bird-Friendly Events page to discover upcoming events planned to recognize birds and the benefits that they provide each day to the residents of Frederick County and the Birding Assets page for a list of birding “hotspots” in Frederick County.
One of many local, native bird species, the Northern cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis). Image Source: unsplash.com
Bird Populations in North America, Maryland, and Frederick County
Peer-reviewed scientific studies, including one published collectively by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, the American Bird Conservancy, the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, the Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center of the United States Geological Survey, the National Wildlife Research Centre of Canada, the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, and the Canadian Wildlife Service, have indicated that there has been a significant decrease in breeding bird populations in North America since 1970. The linked study indicates a nearly 20% decline in breeding bird populations in the Eastern Forest biome that includes the State of Maryland. The ecosystems of Frederick County have evolved over millennia and have been shaped by the continued presence of birds. It is not possible at this time to predict the compositional and functional changes that might arise in local ecosystems from further losses of breeding bird populations.
Birds provide multiple ecosystem and economic services to the residents of Frederick County, including:
- Promoting Seed Dispersal: Birds spread plants to new areas, including native species like Oak, Redbud, Virginia Creeper, Black-Eyed Susan, Holly, Viburnum, Dogwood, Mulberry, and Elderberry.
- Providing Pest Control: Birds eat millions of mosquitoes and other biting insects each year. Raptors, like hawks and owls, control rodents that can damage crops and grains.
- Supporting Pollination: Some birds, like hummingbirds, pollinate plants.
- Providing Scavenging and Carrion Removal: Birds like crows and vultures help keep the landscape clean and reduce the risk of disease.
- Providing Ecosystem Engineering Services: Birds create habitats for other organisms by forming cavities in trees and excavating burrows.
- Providing Cultural Enhancement: Birds provide recreational opportunities for people, such as wildlife viewing and ecotourism.
One of Frederick County’s most common bird species, American robin (Turdus migratorius). Image Source: unsplash.com
Activities that Support Birds in Frederick County
Bird City Maryland administrates the Bird City program in the State of Maryland on behalf of the Bird City Network. The Bird City Network (partnership) was formed through a collaboration between the American Bird Conservancy and Environment for the Americas. Together, these organizations also sponsor World Migratory Bird Day in the Americas. World Migratory Bird Day will be observed in the United States on Saturday, May 10, 2025.
The theme of World Migratory Bird Day in 2025 is, “Shared Spaces: Creating Bird-Friendly Cities and Communities.” The World Migratory Bird Day website and Livable Frederick have identified the following things that everyone can do to help make their cities and communities more bird-friendly:
Affiliated Communities
Frederick County is home to three municipalities that have received the Bird City designation: the City of Frederick, the City of Brunswick, and the Town of Middletown. Links to the programs for each of these municipalities are provided here:
City of Frederick Bird City Site & City of Frederick Bird City Program
City of Brunswick Bird City Program
Town of Middletown Bird City Program