By Elizabeth Ruiz, Operations Administrator, Houston Audubon
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Are you searching for truly unique and thoughtful gifts for your friends and family? So are we! Whether you’re shopping for someone who challenges you or just looking for some fresh ideas, read on for our staff & volunteer favorite gift picks this season. Enjoy, and happy gifting!
A gift that they want:
When we saw this bird feeder camera duo, we had to have one. How thrilling to be able to watch your backyard birds up close while they enjoy themselves at your feeder! The Bird Buddy is a must for backyard bird enthusiasts. The feeder with camera is a wonderful purchase, but don’t sleep on the bundles – solar panel, perch extender, and nutrient add-ons give these feeder more flexibility in your yard.
NOCS Provisions has quality optics for any budget, but we want their Zoom tube. At 9.5 oz., this scope is ultra-portable. Best feature? It makes taking a photo through your scope a breeze. There is even an add-on photo rig adapter for shooting video! Speaking of add-ons, you can convert the Zoom tube into a microscope – YES, A MICROSCOPE. Birdwatching, filming, AND microscopic details?! Sign us up.
Camera straps are a necessity on the birding trail. How about one with some flare? These gorgeous embroidered straps add an element of style to your camera gear. Added bonus: you can have your recipient’s name embroidered on it if you’re looking for a personalized gift. Oh la la!
We LOVE stained glass art. It brings a touch of whimsy and joy into your home and garden. How about stained glass art birds? Find your family or friend’s favorite bird in stained glass form and gift it to them for a permanent, colorful reminder of their favorite feathered friend.
A gift that they need:
Have you come across the magical work of David M. Bird? You are in for a treat! His “Becorn” creations dazzle, but the most endearing quality of his work comes from the photos he captures of the Becorns’ interactions with birds and woodland creatures. He truly brings art to life. His 2024 calendar is a must-have for anyone who needs a dose of daily joy.
If you’re a bird lover, you go where the birds love to be. Take this gorgeous Sundial Pocket Compass with you on your journeys into the woods. It will guide you when your GPS runs out of battery. Oh! And if you’re looking for an adventure for you and your compass, consider the Lonestar Hiking Trail, North of Houston in the Sam Houston National Forest. Over 300 species of birds have been sighted by trail hikers.
Night hikers rejoice! You will blind your favorite night time creatures no more. These red light flashlights are perfect for night time Owl Prowls. Let the natural habits of nocturnal creatures continue while you quietly hike through their habitat.
Hummingbirds are such joy-bringing little creatures. I cannot help but smile when I see them in the yard! This exquisite hummingbird feeder is hand-painted glass art that makes quite an artisan statement, AND brings all the hummers to your backyard. Bonus points for the little perches at each bottle; your hummers will enjoy the rest while they snack.
A gift out in nature:
Houston’s heat was a little brutal this summer. When our birdy friends could use a hand staying cool and hydrated, bird baths to the rescue! How about a bird bath upgrade? This lovely, copper-colored Universal Dripper fits most bird baths and attaches to your outdoor faucet. Moving water is quite enticing to your backyard birdies. An easy addition to your existing bird bath or an amazing add-on to that bird bath you need for those hot summers.
Some of our backyard birds are specialty feeders. Bird Silo is a feeder designed specifically for birds who like to cling vertically while they eat. Designed to function like a grain silo, this feeder fills from the bottom up and sports a modern aesthetic for those urban city balconies. Your chickadees, nuthatches, titmice, finches, and woodpeckers will thank you for the meal, and for buying a feeder made from 100% upcycled post-consumer waste.
We are always looking for ways to support the natural environment in our urban jungle of Houston. We are bird nerds at Houston Audubon, but our bug friends need a helping hand too! Enter the Bug House – a backyard shelter for our pollinators and garden pest control squad. Ladybugs, lacewings, bees, spiders and butterflies will enjoy the habitat, hatchery, and shelter of this natural wood property. Bug lovers unite!
Nesting season is such a stressful time for your backyard bird friends. Take the hassle out of nest insulation with this Native Bird Nester. Hang it in a tree or stake it in the ground in the bushes for optimum fluff foraging. This particular model comes with llama fibre, which is water repellant, keeping the birdies from mold and the cold. Huzzah!
A gift they can read:
Sometimes we need a reminder that nature isn’t far away. It’s right here in our cities and suburbs. Lyanda Lynn Haupt’s book Crow Planet, invites readers to observe the nature around us in order to develop or deepen our appreciation of the natural world. It gives the gift of seeing the world in a different way.
Continuing our journey of appreciating the natural world around us, Suzanne Simpson brings Houston a field guide, trip planner, and natural history tour all in one with Wild Houston. For the person who is fascinated with nature, but doesn’t know exactly where to start finding it in Houston, this book is perfect.
We here at Houston Audubon notice birds. What do you notice in the world around you? Kobi Yamada invites readers to see the little things, big things, imaginary things, and even hidden things all around inNoticing. This exquisite book encourages readers to pay attention, make new discoveries, and explore. A beautiful reminder during a sometimes hectic season.
Want a compelling novel that invokes the strength that women, land, and plants have shared with one another through generations? Enter The Seed Keeper. This story follows a Dakhóta family’s struggle to preserve their way of life, and their sacrifices to protect what matters most. This is a beautifully told story of reawakening, of remembering the original relationship to the seeds and, through them, to the ancestors of this land.
BONUS! A gift you can give to the family:
The Buffalo Bayou Cistern is a magical place. During the winter, it is illuminated from late November through early January by Houston artist and engineer Kelly O’Brien. Gift the family with this experience of Cistern Illuminated, an unforgettable outing with unique perspective and seemingly infinite reflection. And while you are out there, go visit Buffalo Bayou Park. They have everything. Art, native landscapes, boat tours, kayaking, recreational spaces. All. They have it ALL. Go. Now.
Houstonians: If you have not been to Miller Outdoor Theatre in Hermann Park, what are you waiting for?! This spectacular open air theatre provides performances for free to those who sit on the lawn on the hill above the theatre. From musicals to opera, from circus performers to tap dancers, Miller has a show for everyone. Whether you gift a date night or a family night, grab a blanket and a picnic basket and head to the theatre for a show!
Texas State Parks are awesome. Yes, y’all, we are biased. Can you blame us? Houstonians: in the dead of winter, when you are ready for that first beach day, plan an outing for the family to Galveston Island State Park. This 2,000 acre park has 125 campsites, day-use bayside and beachside pavilions, observation towers for birders, kayak launch sites, and excellent fishing opportunities. There is something for everyone at this park. My favorite part? They have on-site showers for when you are DONE being sandy.
Birding families: this one is for you! Lake Sommerville State Park is an amazing birding destination. From nesting Anhingas and Bald Eagles to the plethora of Painted Buntings and warblers, the park is alive with birds. Lake Sommerville is also a beautiful park with many attractions for the family. Grab a picnic spot and cook out, fish off the lake, rent a boat and venture to the islands, or hike the trails! You might even catch a glimpse of the river otters playing in the creek off the beaten path. BONUS: if your journey takes you back through Brenham, stop in town for some amazing Italian food at Brossa’s Cibo e Vino. A fabulous end to a birdy trip.
Do More, Keep Less
Maybe the family gift guide you just finished perusing has you thinking more about destination gifts. All hail less STUFF in our lives! Gifting an experience rather than physical items is a welcome change. I, for one, could use fewer things in my life and fewer garage sales to unclutter the house. Take your friends out for a day of birding at High Island and then grab lunch after to chat about all the things you saw. Plan a trip to the Houston Zoo to experience all the exhibits; especially if you haven’t seen the new Galapagos and Pantanal exhibits yet – they’re fantastic! Want to go one step further? Gift someone a membership to their favorite nature conservation organization. Your gift benefits the organization’s work the whole year, and your family and friends get to experience nature programs that bring them closer to their passions. The possibilities are endless and the memories are priceless!
Houston Audubon does not endorse any of the above products or shops - they are gift ideas suggested by our staff & volunteers.
Support the Work of Houston Audubon
We are working hard in and around our city of Houston to conserve land and support our feathered friends. We would love your support in our efforts! Here are some gift ideas that give back to Houston Audubon’s conservation endeavors. When you support the work of your local conservation organization, you are supporting the natural habitat around you, as well as the flyways our migratory birds use for their incredible annual journeys. The birds say “Tweet, tweet!” (That means “Thank you”)
Land Sea & Sky are fabulous partners with Houston Audubon. When you purchase gifts and gear from them, they not only give YOU a discount of 5% off your purchase, they give Houston Audubon 5% of the proceeds from the purchase. You get a gift, and you get a gift, and everyone gets a gift! If you are in the store, mention Houston Audubon at checkout for your discount. For online shopping, use promo code HOUAUDUBON at checkout.
Visit Houston Audubon’s Edith L. Moore Nature Sanctuary in west Houston to shop our nature store! We have a wonderful selection of birdy merchandise that would make perfect gifts or stocking stuffers! Plus, head to the nearby Wild Birds Unlimited to stock up on gifts for your backyard birds! Wild Birds Unlimited is a generous supporter of Houston Audubon, and they fill up the bird feeders at Edith Moore anytime they’re empty!
Coffee drinkers who love birds, this is your new go-to coffee. Birds & Beans is a Bird Friendly® coffee, which means they are certified by independent inspectors to meet the rigorous Smithsonian standards, a strong certification that supports conservation efforts. Our migratory songbirds have a much better chance at survival while on their wintering grounds in the tropics thanks to the efforts of companies like this. Birds & Beans graciously sends coffee for our High Island volunteers each year during Spring Migration. You are helping everyone stay caffeinated when you grab a bag and stuff all the stockings!
Get your fellow bird-lover a Houston Audubon membership, which allows them to enjoy members-only field trips, discounts at our nature stores and nursery open houses, and more, starting at just $40!
Treat someone (or yourself!) with a new birdy license plate. These lovely specialty plates support bird conservation by giving $22 of the annual $30 fee back to Houston Audubon – the gift that keeps on giving. Drive around town proudly sporting the Eastern Meadowlark on this plate, and I will bet someone will ask you where you got that fabulous birdy plate. Bird Awareness promoted: check.
We do enjoy receiving Holiday Cards, especially when they are covered with adorable birds in winter! Artist Anna Marie’s 2023 Holiday cards give 20% of each sale back to Houston Audubon. This year’s card features a vibrant trio of cardinals. You can view more of her work over on Instagram @theofficialannamarie or at www.annamarie.com
This was fun, y’all. I hope this list gave you some ideas and provided you with holiday inspiration for the upcoming shopping season! Leave us a comment below with your own birdy gift ideas. We’d love to see what’s on your wish list this year!
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