Certified Bird-Friendly coffee

I have a rotating list of recommended coffee roasters and retailers at the bottom of this page. They are all sources of sustainably-grown coffee, with online ordering available. These roasters have been chosen based on criteria which I’ve outlined in this post. Many of them carry certified organic, Rainforest Alliance, or Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center (SMBC) Bird-Friendly® (BF) coffee, some do not. There are many reasons why coffee from farms with excellent environmental practices are not certified, and why many coffee roasters cannot afford to carry only certified coffees.

However, I understand some consumers prefer to buy only certified coffee. SMBC has the strongest shade/biodiversity criteria by far, so I have compiled this list of online sources of Bird Friendly® (BF)-certified coffee. I tried to find sources that regularly offered at least two varieties of BF-certified coffee, but remember that coffee is seasonal and there are not many certified farms, so availability may fluctuate. Be sure to check that the offering says it is BF-certified.

• Birds & Beans USA — Distributor of only BF-certified coffee roasted by partner roasters; four roast levels whose origins may change depending on availability. Supports bird conservation causes. Birds & Beans is also available at a growing list of retailers, many of which are Wild Birds Unlimited stores and nature centers.
• American Birding Association’s Songbird Coffee line; part of the proceeds go to the ABA.
• Birds & Beans Canada — The original Birds and Beans, roasting only sustainably-grown coffee, including many BF-certified varieties.
• Golden Valley Farms — Supplies BF-certified coffee to the Smithsonian’s National Zoo. All BF-certified coffees listed here.
• Caffe Ibis — Many certified coffees, including a good selection of triple-certified coffees that are BF-certified.
• Chesapeake Coffee Roasting — Many BF-certified and organic coffees. Bonus: incredible bird graphics that are also on their product cans, stickers, and t-shirts!

You can search for a retailer on the SMBC web site, and you can also verify that the source/farm listed is really a BF-certified farm with a look-up on the SMBC web site.