Eco-friendly shorebird greetings cards

These beautifully illustrated sets of greetings cards are all by a US artist, a best-seller on Etsy. Choose your favourites, then stock up so you always have an inspiring card to send, which also supports a local artist, and helps to get the word out on the wonder of birds! Packed in handsome brown kraft paper gift boxes.

Although FSC-certified card is from ‘sustainable forests’, this still means old growth trees are cut down to make way for fast-growing plantations that use pesticides and don’t give food or shelter to birds and wildlife.

Only send plantable cards to pet-free homes, as many contain toxic herbs and wildflowers. Also most companies use non-native seeds, which are not good for local birds and wildlife. 

Also read about eco-friendly Christmas cards. Read more on keeping pets safe at Christmas (many plants including holly, mistletoe and poinsetta are unsafe).

Choose from:

Shorebirds (sandpiper & whelk, herring gull, Arctic tern, ruddy turnstone and piping plover).

Winter Birds are blank inside. Each bird is labelled on the back: a mourning dove, mountain bluebird, dark-eyed junco, red-breasted nuthatch and barn owl (the last two local!)

How to protect England’s coastal birds

• It’s also important to keep yourself and dogs away from coastal birds (flying away uses up energy they need to feed), especially at nesting season (when many birds hide chicks in the sand dunes). Read more on keeping dogs safe at the seaside.
• Always keep to designated footpaths and take litter home (report any injured birds to your local wildlife rescue).
• Sometimes pirri-pirri burrs stick to your clothing (or a dog’s fur). If seen, remove them and bin securely, to avoid them choking coastal chicks (same on country walks).
• If you sail a boat, keep at least 100m away from nesting or resting birds (particularly on shingle islands and spits) and turn off your engine if nearby. Likewise, take any litter with you.