Bird Enthusiasts

Do you enjoy bird watching, photography and outdoor recreation? Do you want to help birds?

You are not alone! More than 46 million Americans count themselves as bird watchers, and 2.6 million hunt migratory birds, according to the  2016 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation.

Birds add sound, color and joy to our lives. Watching wild birds and experiencing nature is comforting and uplifting, and brings us happiness.

In addition to their aesthetic and emotional significance, birds are also valuable for more practical reasons. Birds have ecological value as important elements of natural systems and are recognized as among the most important indicators of the state of the environment. Birds provide insect and rodent control, plant pollination, and seed dispersal, which result in tangible benefits to people.

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service is the federal agency responsible for maintaining healthy populations of migratory birds. We do this in many ways, including by developing and implementing policies and regulations, working with partners, issuing permits, and providing ways for any citizen to be involved in bird conservation.

On our website are resources for anyone who appreciates birds or wants to learn more about them. We can help you find places to watch birds and learn how to identify birds. And whether you enjoy hunting, watching birds or simply being out in the peace of nature, you can contribute directly to conservation by buying Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamps (Duck Stamps).

You can also learn about threats to birds and how the Fish and Wildlife Service and our partners are working to reduce those threats - and how you can help, too. Explore opportunities to be a "citizen scientist" and participate in bird conservation efforts, obtain training related to bird conservation, or take every day actions to help birds fly safely.