Search
Close this search box.

Twelve days of Maine Audubon! 

We’ve got 12 ways you can celebrate wildlife and habitat this holiday season. Let us know how you are having a wildlife-friendly holiday! Share your ideas and pictures, tag us, and use #12daysofMaineAudubon

Make a wildlife-friendly ornament. 

We’ve got some ideas here. Some bird-friendly ornament suggestions include pine cone feeders covered with peanut butter and birdseed; small suet balls or suet cakes in holiday shapes, or small mesh bags of suet; Strings of fruits such as apple, pear, or orange chunks, raisins, or cranberries; or dried sunflower heads or stalks of dried millet or other grain. 

12 days of Maine AudubonAdvocate for renewable energy. 

Contact town managers and share our solar toolkits for municipalities. We’ve got best practices to avoid and/or minimize impacts to wildlife, farming, and critical natural resources from solar development, and model site plan regulations to assist municipalities in supporting development of solar energy systems in ways that address the needs of their community.

12 days of Maine AudubonInstall decals on your windows. 

Decals, stickers, window clings, and other window coverings can help prevent bird strikes. Did you know that glass collisions cause, on average, one millions bird deaths a day? Read more about our BirdSafe Maine program to find out how you can make your windows safe for birds. 

12 days of Maine AudubonNurture the next generation. 

Nature education is one of the best ways to help wildlife and habitat. By modeling curiosity and stewardship, you can help raise an environmentally-aware generation. If you are a teacher, check out these resources from our educators. If you are a caregiver, consider signing up for our monthly Chickadee Club program. Our Connections blog posts have lots of great ideas for all ages. 

12 days of Maine AudubonExchange your lead fishing tackle. 

Lead is one of the leading causes of death for adult Common Loons in Maine. To protect loons and other wildlife, Maine state law bans the use and sale of lead sinkers and bare (unpainted) lead-headed jigs that weigh one ounce or less, or that measure 2 ½ inches or less. Through our Fish Lead Free program, you can turn in your lead fishing tackle for a voucher worth $10 off the purchase of lead-free tackle.  

12 days of Maine AudubonAct on behalf of wildlife.

Ask your elected officials for support.Make sure they know about legislation and other policies that benefit wildlife and habitat, such as funding for land conservation, renewable energy development, and protection for endangered species. Sign up for our Action Alerts to stay up to date on legislative and advocacy issues, and find out how you can help. 

12 days of Maine AudubonUnearth your inner scientist! 

You can be a community scientist from your own home or in the greater community. From counting loons on Maine lakes, to observing birds in your yard, to watching for turtles crossing busy roads, to searching for bugs in streams, make 2021 the year you become part of a community science project.  

12 days of Maine AudubonDonate to a cause. 

Of course, we’re partial to Maine Audubon, but donate to something you believe in and that fuels your passion. Donate time, money, or energy. 

12 days of Maine AudubonUnderstand the importance of native plants. .

By growing more native plants in our gardens, yards, and neighborhoods, we can restore the ecology and other values that make Maine landscapes so special for birds, insects, and other wildlife. Check out our  “Bringing Nature Home” initiative and use our Native Plant Finder to find the native plants best suited for specific sites, that provide the greatest ecological function and benefit, and that complement your landscape design. Now’s the time to sow winter seeds, plan your springtime planting, or stock up on garden supplies.

Buy local! 

Many of the products at the Maine Audubon Nature Store come from local vendors. There’s even our own Gilsland Farm honey! The store has online shopping and curbside pick-up at Gilsland Farm. 

Opt outdoors. 

Spending time outside can be your gift to yourself! Visit one of our sanctuaries, take a walk around the block, or even just poke your head out the window or front door for five minutes.

Note what you see! 

Keeping a nature journal and being a wildlife observer makes you an active participant in the world around you. Make your own nature journal (here’s a template you can use; print it out double-sided and fold in half to make a booklet), use our  Maine Birds Checklist for Young Birders, or watch these Nature Moments to get inspired.