Garden Center: Back in January 2014, you wrote about the backyard chicken keeping trend and why independent garden centers should consider carrying products to support the hobby. We’re compiling a report on birding, and I know it’s not considered a part of traditional birding departments, but I thought it would be helpful to get an update on anything new that’s come up.

Leslie Halleck: It’s kind of funny to me that it’s not considered or integrated in some way into more traditional birding departments. In essence you are raising birds, obviously, so I think there could be some co-mingling of those departments in a more strategic way.

GC: During the economic recession in 2009, you introduced backyard chicken keeping when you were working at North Haven Gardens to diversify the product mix and give customers another reason to come in during a slow time. What’s the market for the hobby like now?

LH: With the big push I initiated in Dallas around this whole practice, an entirely new industry has emerged. There are now businesses dedicated to cultivating the practice of chicken keeping. I have a chicken sitter who, any time I go out of town, comes to care for my chickens. There are businesses now that will put together and entire set up for you. They will build coops, and if you don’t want to do the maintenance, they will come and do the upkeep for you. Just as with the do-it-for-me movement in the landscaping industry, there is a new industry developing around urban poultry keeping.

GC: How can garden centers determine the interest, and if it’s there, get started?

LH: With any product line, you need to do a market analysis. You need to look at your surrounding market to figure out the potential. Are there other retailers already doing a great job at this and providing everything a customer would need? Have you asked your customers? Have you talked to local chicken keeping experts and had a program on-site to gauge interest? A lot of times, the people who attend the chicken keeping program have never been to your garden center before. Maybe they’ve never gardened before, but they want to keep chickens. It’s also a gateway for new customers to begin to interact with their yard in ways they haven’t before. They may start composting, then growing vegetables. Ordinances will of course dictate whether or not backyard chickens are allowable. There are many places where chickens are not allowed, or their quantity is limited — so be sure to check the laws.

GC: How can garden centers compete if the market is already saturated with these businesses?

LH: Garden centers should be taking advantage of and working with companies that have popped up, because they continue to drive that hobby. You don’t necessarily want your customers turning to those allied businesses for what they need. You want to keep them coming back to the retail garden center for [certain items.] Get in touch with those people, and say, “Hey, would you be willing to do a program here?” It would be a great way to promote their business and it would be a great way for you to gauge interest by who shows up.

GC: You mentioned that the popularity of the hobby keeps growing in Dallas. Is that true everywhere, or just in certain markets?

LH: I have not seen a decrease in the practice at all. It’s taken off everywhere. It took off years ago in Brooklyn and Portland and here in Dallas. It’s interesting though because I don’t see garden centers taking advantage of it or marketing it as much as they could be. I suspect that’s because they don’t want to deal with the hassle of dealing with birds or chicks, or they don’t think there’s enough people in their market keeping them. But they might be surprised.

GC: How else can you tell the hobby has grown?

LH: If you talk to companies such as mypetchicken.com, they may tell you that they can’t always keep enough birds in stock. They are one the few breeders that will ship customers small quantities of baby chicks. Normally, you have to place larger orders, say 25 or so chicks, to get a shipment. And many times they are not straight runs; you’ll have to take males and females in a mixed order. That can discourage many smaller urban chicken keepers. Access to smaller quantities of sexed birds is key.

GC: Would you recommend garden centers offer live chicks then, since it’s difficult to find hatcheries that offer smaller orders?

LH: When chicken keeping was blowing up in Dallas, one of my goals was to take special orders for baby chicks and special breeds, based on what my customers wanted — but couldn’t get. Keeping open stock of baby chicks in the store may not be feasible, as you’re then left to be responsible for the leftover birds. What do you do with them when they don’t sell? But special orders solve that problem, plus it would get customers back into the store. Funky breeds that are hard to find can draw lots of special orders. What type of chickens you offer is going to be based on your climate and weather. It’s just like any specialty item that you might not want to keep all the time in inventory, but offer as a custom order. Garden centers can do that now that there are many more breeds available and hatcheries that are catering to urban chicken farmers.

GC: Are customers interested in specialty chicks?

LH: People are really getting into fancy and heritage breeds, just like the articles I’ve written about heirloom varieties. Heritage varieties and preservation of those varieties is a big deal. But there are limited quantities, and you have to order them early, sometimes six months ahead. Some hatcheries may have better availability, but you have to order 25. Competition for bird inventory is actually up. There’s a lot of new breeding going on. So you’re starting to see hybrids coming out on the market. It’s just like plants, it’s so funny.

GC: Garden centers would then have the opportunity to become experts on those breeds, then, and curate chicks for customers.

LH: Like plant varieties, people will come to an independent garden center because they are going to trust that, as the expert, you are pre-selecting things that are going to work where you are. You’re not going to do your customers any good if you provide chicks that can’t handle your weather. That’s the biggest, most important thing with any specialty category. Unless you have somebody on staff who really knows what they’re doing, you’re going to have a hard time selling that category successfully.

GC: What if garden centers don’t want to deal with live chicks? How else can they differentiate?

LH: You have to feed your chickens 365 days of the year. At one time, [North Haven] was the only place where you could buy organic chicken feed. And it took a lot to get it. It wasn’t cheap. It’s those specialty products that keep people coming back in year-round to feed their chickens. They are going to be interested in educational programs in-season and off-season. Those were always my most popular programs. People love animals, and they love nature. It gets people engaged, and it gets kids engaged.

GC: What else should garden centers that are investigating this category be aware of?

LH: Garden centers have to get way more savvy and sophisticated about how they are marketing urban farming and livestock. I’d suggest investigating pre-ordering options for chicks and selective or specialty heritage breeds. Because, as always, you have to create some exclusivity.

Every five years, the U.S. Census Bureau conducts the National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation. Sponsored by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS), the 2016 survey is currently underway. When it wraps up in 2017, results from three waves of in-depth interviews will reveal U.S. wildlife-related recreational activities and expenditures — including habits of the nation’s birders.

Since 2001, when the Survey added specific questions about observing wild birds, an FWS birding addendum has followed the primary report. While a release date for the next “Birding in the United States: A Demographic and Economic Analysis” is still undetermined, past timing points to sometime in 2018. In the meantime, insights from birding experts and the 2011 analysis provide an inside look at trends to expect.

Definitions of birders and birding differ, but the FWS takes a conservative approach to the people and activities that qualify. Chance bird encounters and casual observations don’t make a birder. Instead, the Survey defines a birder as someone who has traveled more than one mile specifically to watch wild birds or has actively watched and tried to identify wild birds at home.

47 million Americans aged 16 and older actively engage in birding activities.”

© Dreamstime

Under the FWS definition, the 2011 Survey found that more than 47 million Americans aged 16 and older actively engaged in birding activities. That’s roughly 20 percent of the nation’s population. While the overall number of wild bird observers changed little from 2006, fewer birders were traveling away from home. Of those surveyed, 88 percent did their birding at home.

Jeffrey Gordon, president of the American Birding Association (ABA), explains that birders still want to travel and see birds in exotic places, but there’s an increasing emphasis on what birders call their own “patch.” This might be their yard, a specific park or another area close to home, where they watch and track visiting birds. “There’s more and more focus on patch birding,” Gordon says. “There’s an extra thrill to find a new bird in your patch.” That bodes well for businesses that serve at-home birders.

The profile of an “average” U.S. birder according to the 2011 Survey sounds a lot like your traditional garden customer. She’s 53 years old with an above-average income and education, and is increasingly likely to reside in an urban area. But Erin Carver, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Senior Economist and author of the birding addendums since 2006, notes that millions of U.S. birders don’t fit that description. Signs indicate that birders are becoming much more diverse.

88% of those surveyed do their birding at home, which is due to an increasing emphasis on what birders call their own 'patch'”.

© Thinkstock

Daniel Lebbin, vice president of international programs for the American Bird Conservancy (ABC), believes more and more people are watching birds in some capacity. “Birding can be done anywhere, and there’s a very low cost to enter into it,” Lebbin says. “It’s particularly growing among high school age and younger.” He adds that organizations devoted just to birdwatching are becoming more accessible, leading to greater birder diversity.

Gordon credits the internet and digital photography with opening birding to a broader audience. Through social media, newcomers can tap into the help and camaraderie of experienced birders around the world. “One thing so amazing about birding is how shareable it is,” he explains. One example is the ABA Facebook group, “What’s This Bird?” (www.facebook.com/groups/whatsthisbird). Anyone can join, post bird images, and get whatever level of help they desire, whether that’s an outright I.D. or clues to refine their skills.

As IGCs with robust birding segments know, birders look for new products to support and expand on their interest. The 2011 survey underscored the economic importance of items most at-home birders consider essential: Approximately 50.2 million Americans fed wild birds, spending $4.1 billion on bird food alone. Bird houses, nesting boxes and bird baths totaled an additional $970 million.

$7.5 billion: Estimated amount spent on birding-related equipment in 2011, up from $6.8 billion in 2006.”

Bird-related buying doesn’t end there. Spending on bird-related equipment — not including travel-related expenses — was estimated at more than $7.5 billion dollars, up from $6.8 billion in 2006. This includes expenditures such as binoculars, cameras, cases, clothing, field guides, maps and more.

One purchasing category not considered in these totals is plants. You may not think of plants as bird purchases, but birders make the connection. Gordon notes that patch birders quickly learn which seeds or other items attract which birds to their patch. They naturally pursue changes to make their patch more attractive. Gordon and Lebbin agree that plants — specifically native plants — help birders extend their patch list and serve a greater purpose.

As interest in birding grows, so do some concerns about America’s birds. Roughly one-third of all North American bird species show some negative trend that’s a cause for concern. Lebbin stresses that this figure doesn’t equate to officially endangered or threatened species. This includes trends such as significant declines in otherwise abundant species, or slower than expected increases in rebounding populations. One example is the bobolink, above, namesake of at least one nursery. Though still plentiful, bobolink populations have dropped 50 percent over the past four decades, due in part to habitat loss.

988 million birds die annually from collisions with glass windows – just in the United States.”

While many people enjoy birding, Lebbin says that relatively few consider bird conservation. That may be changing, as more birders realize the contribution made by backyard habitats that support native birds and provide refuges when birds need to leave somewhere else. “Native plants are fantastic options,” Lebbin says. “They provide food, cover and nesting sites, and host a variety of insects to feed birds.” A greater variety of plants supports a more diverse bird community.

While habitat gardens represent a significant trend, other conservation-related purchases can help, too. ABC estimates that up to 988 million birds die annually from collisions with glass windows — just in the United States. More companies are now producing decals and other anti-collision products that won’t interfere with garden viewing or birdwatching, and could bring conservation into IGC birding products.

Lebbin encourages people to just “Get started!” and go birding with someone. “Make birdwatching part of your lifestyle,” he says. IGCs can tap into local birding clubs, free bird walks, birding seminars, conservation groups and internet resources — the enthusiasm is contagious. “There are a million ways to bird,” Gordon says. “It’s becoming more widespread, more connected, and more exciting. Anyone can become a fan.”

Jolene is a freelance writer and former hort professional based in Madison, Wis. She is a frequent contributor to GIE Media Horticulture Group publications.

Birds are drawn to landscapes for many reasons, but plants are critical elements. Plants provide nectar, nesting sites and protective cover, not to mention food in the form of seeds, nuts, berries and other fruits. By choosing plants known to please a variety of bird species, your customers can be well on their way to creating ideal bird habitats.

As with native pollinators such as butterflies and bees, native birds have close associations with native plants. Plants that host healthy populations of native insects are especially important. Approximately 96 percent of all North American land birds feed insects to their young, with caterpillars as a primary source of essential fat and protein. (Don’t let the idea of attracting too many insects put you or birding customers off. Entomologist and wildlife ecologist Dr. Doug Tallamy estimates that four to six baby chickadees can handle 9,000 caterpillars in the 16 days between the time they hatch and first take flight.)

You can help customers make the connection between plants, birdwatching and bird conservation by integrating bird-preferred plants into displays alongside bird houses, feeding stations, birdbaths or even birding field guides. The bird-attracting qualities of plants already in your pollinator garden promotions offer added selling points as well.

1. Purple coneflower (Echinacea spp.) — Coneflowers and other seed-bearing perennials and annuals are important fall food sources for many birds, particularly as other plants and insects wane with the season. Native coneflowers, black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia spp.) and vibrant sunflowers (Helianthus spp.) are favored by goldfinches, cardinals, blue jays and many other seed-loving birds.

2. Goldenrod (Solidago spp.) — Once butterflies and bees finish feasting on goldenrod’s fall nectar and pollen, birds such as juncos, sparrows and finches move in for the seeds. But one of goldenrod’s biggest draws is the range of insects the genus hosts, estimated at more than 100 species of butterflies and moths. Asters (Aster spp.) host a similar bevy of the larval-based protein birds need.

3. Milkweed (Asclepias spp.) — Known for its role as the sole plant host for monarch butterfly caterpillars, milkweed attracts many other insects and provides added bird benefits. Goldfinches use milkweed fiber and milkweed seed down to construct and line their nests. Carolina chickadees similarly use cinnamon fern (Osmunda cinnamomea).

4. Trumpet honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) — The nectar-rich blooms of trumpet honeysuckle provide an early, long-lasting nectar source for hummingbirds, but other birds love this vine, too. Baltimore orioles eat the flowers whole to reach the nectar, while waxwings, robins, bluebirds, finches and others relish the fruit.

5. Bayberry (Myrica pensylvanica) — Packed with persistent winter berries and potential year-round cover, bayberries are a favorite attraction for many bird species. Black-capped chickadees, tufted titmice, Carolina wrens, tree swallows and red-bellied woodpeckers are just a few of the birds that patronize this shrub alongside many other forms of wildlife.

6. Dogwood (Cornus spp.) — From groundcover to tree form, dogwoods attract birds at every level. Vireos, grouse, wild turkeys, pheasants, cardinals, titmice, bluebirds, flickers, and red-bellied and downy woodpeckers are some of the many birds attracted to this genus and its fruit. The high-fat,berries of silky dogwood (Cornus amomum) are a valuable energy source for migrating birds.

7. Elderberry (Sambucus spp.) — Many insect species turn to elderberries for nectar-heavy flowers, and nesting and overwintering sites. Birds follow after the insects, but also seek out elderberries for fruit. The berries attract multiple songbird species, while woodpeckers stay busy with insects year-round.

8. Serviceberry (Amelanchier spp.) — Serviceberry foliage hosts numerous species of butterfly larvae, which represent important protein sources for feeding birds. Birds also seek out these plants for cover and, unsurprisingly, the fruits are songbird magnets.

9. Eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana) — Heavy bird traffic is a clear indicator that Eastern red cedar fulfills many bird needs. The exfoliating bark is a favorite nesting material, while the evergreen branches provide safe nesting sites, year-round cover and protection from winter cold. The berrylike cones on females of this conifer also provide crucial winter food for many birds.

10. Oak (Quercus spp.) — Cavities in aging oaks are popular with nesting birds, and acorns are a sought-after food. But native insects and their larvae may be the primary draw oaks hold for birds. Native oaks support more than 500 species of butterflies and moths, making the trees favorite sites for hunting larvae and other insects. Oaks are significant food sources for numerous bird species, from tiny tufted titmice and vireos to warblers, tanagers and various woodpeckers.

Cultivate’16

Applying SHIFT findings to retail

During Cultivate’16 in Columbus, Ohio, garden retailers shared how they are using results from AmericanHort’s SHIFT research to implement new ideas and improve their businesses.

To see the rest of our Cultivate video coverage, visit www.gardencentermag.com/videos.

What’s trending on Facebook

Disaster can strike anywhere, but when it does, it’s always encouraging to see people who go out of their way and offer a helping hand. Garden Center’s Facebook followers evidently agree. When we shared the story of Jim Monroe, the owner of Greenbrier Nurseries in Virginia and West Virginia who led donation and volunteer efforts when his region was hit by major floods, the post topped all other Garden Center Facebook posts in July for reach and engagement.

5 stories in brief

Top industry news from our website

1. Taking the wheel

Expert retail consultant Sid Raisch will take over as president of e-commerce tree brand Bower & Branch. bit.ly/2a5N35L

2. Retail tragedy

Country Lawnscape, a garden center and landscape business in Easton, Pa., was declared a “total loss” from a fire July 25. bit.ly/2aASBVr

3. Giving back

When heavy flooding struck several communities in West Virginia in early July, Jim Monroe led the relief effort through donation drives and hands-on volunteering. bit.ly/2aarcFZ

4. Save the date

Changes to the layout, programming and structure of Cultivate’17 were announced during this year’s show. bit.ly/29zB78y

5. Worthy projects

The National Association of Conservation Districts and USDA’s Natural Resource Conservation Service awarded $2 million to further urban agriculture conservation. bit.ly/2aDb7xi

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“If you just communicate, you can get by. But if you communicate skillfully, you can work miracles.” – Jim Rohn