Tips for Organic, Bird-Friendly Gardening

For starters, let’s talk about what a pesticide is. Pesticides includes insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, rodenticides, acaricides, and any other “-cide” you can think of. If the intent of a product is to eliminate a pest or plant disease, it’s a pesticide. This includes a wide range of products, ranging from the more bird-friendly organics to the most broad and ruthless synthetics.

Pesticide chemicals may impact birds by:

• poisoning birds when granules or coated berries and seeds are ingested;
• killing insects and other invertebrates crucial to birds and their young;
• eliminating plants necessary to bird survival;
• bioaccumulating in fish, mammals, and other prey, which may then pass into raptors;
• thinning eggshells and reducing chick weight;
• and suppressing immune systems and inhibiting movement.

That’s not all. Pesticides have long-term impacts that can affect birds and other wildlife well into the future. If such effects kill birds in a place over a sustained time period, these deaths could suppress localized populations for years to come.

Bird aren’t the only victims of dangerous pesticides. People who work closely with these chemicals, such as farmworkers and applicators, are subject to a number of health-adverse effects, ranging from rashes to neurological damage.

All pesticides in the United States, agricultural and otherwise, are registered through the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and governed by the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) of 1947. FIFRA has been amended multiple times over the years to adapt to the changing toxicological landscape.

For instance, if a chemical company applies to register a new herbicide, the EPA can ask the company to examine the potential links between lawn pesticides and birds. This involves answering a series of important questions. Will it adversely affect birds? Will it adversely affect other, non-target organisms? What impact will it have if leached into streams or rivers?

Sadly, the answers to these questions often are skirted, overlooked, or inadequate. When this happens, dangerous chemicals that negatively impact birds, other wildlife, and humans can end up on store shelves.

ABC is working to ensure the EPA protects birds and people by closing regulatory loopholes, calling for more stringent testing, and canceling the registration of some of the most harmful pesticides in use. You can help protect birds by visiting our action center and telling Congress to restrict the use of dangerous pesticides.

At ABC, we recommend against using toxic pesticides due to dangers they pose to birds and the larger environment. This includes the following commonly used lawn chemicals:

Neonicotinoids — More commonly known as “neonics,” this group of widely used systemic insecticides includes such active ingredients as imidacloprid, clothianidin, thiamethoxam, and dinotefuran. Neonics inhibit muscle contraction in garden pests, but also a wide range of other invertebrates, including pollinators. Their high water solubility and long half-lives mean they can remain in groundwater, ponds, lakes, and streams for long periods of time. Making matters worse, neonics can be lethal to birds if ingested, even in small quantities.

Glyphosate — Glyphosate is an organophosphorus herbicide common in home applications. Glyphosate leaches into groundwater and finds its way to streams and ponds where it is highly toxic to aquatic invertebrates. Birds rely heavily on aquatic invertebrates such as caddisflies and mayflies, especially when rearing chicks.

Carbaryl — A member of the carbamate family of insecticides, carbaryl has been shown to have severely adverse effects on human health. Carbaryl is a commonly identified agent of harm when it comes to lawn pesticides and birds. Despite this, it is commonly employed on lawns and green spaces across the country.

Avoid systemic insecticides: These insecticides can lodge within a plant’s physical structure, permeating everything from the stem and leaves to pollen, nectar, and fruits. The neonicotinoid imidacloprid, for instance, is often used as a seed coating; once the plant sprouts and begins growing, it absorbs the imidacloprid and incorporates it as it develops.

Synthetic pesticides can be dangerous to human health and harmful to the very plants and animals gardeners are trying to support and attract. We recommend using non-chemical means to control pests in your garden. Check our bird-safe tips below.

Weed by Hand — Removing weeds by hand allows gardeners to avoid harsh chemicals while also closely observing the progress of their plants. A regimen of early and persistent weeding can reap benefits, while feeding the compost pile, which, in turn, provides rich organic matter (natural fertilizer) for future plantings.

Use DIY Pesticides — A mixture of diluted white vinegar, salt, and dish soap can be a fantastic way to rid your garden of weeds without synthetic chemicals. Lawn Love has a recipe available here.

Prevent Weeds with Corn Gluten — Sprinkling corn gluten, a natural corn byproduct, on a garden can suppress the future growth of weeds without harming larger, established plants.

Get Rid of Weeds on Pavement with Boiling Water — To eliminate dandelions and other weeds growing between cracks in concrete, simply douse them with boiling water! Take extra care to avoid drips, spills, and burns.

Try Organic Insecticides and Lawncare Companies — When natural biological controls need a bit of a boost, consider using essential-oil-derived insecticides, such as those by Jonathan Green.

Invest in Native Plants — Make your yard or green area into a bird-friendly space by planting native species that attract and support birds. You can find pollinator-friendly native plants adapted to your region with this fantastic guide from the Xerces Invertebrate Conservation Society.