Conservation Ranching in the Rockies

Our Goals
Stabilize declining grassland bird populations in partnership with farmers and ranchers.
What We’re Doing
Working with landowners to support better bird habitat.
Greater Sage-Grouse display at sunrise in front of a herd of cattle.

North America's grasslands are among the most imperiled ecosystems in the world. America’s grassland birds have declined more than any other bird group in the continent, some species by as much as 80 percent. Because the vast majority breed on private lands, working with ranchers is our best hope for conserving them.

A wildlife habitat initiative of the Ô¼ÅÚÊÓÆµ with a unique market connection, aims to stabilize declining grassland bird populations in partnership with farmers and ranchers. Ô¼ÅÚÊÓÆµ Conservation Ranching’s enrollment includes more than 100 ranches and nearly 3 million acres that have earned status as Ô¼ÅÚÊÓÆµ Certified Bird-Friendly Land. Incentivizing this habitat work for birds and biodiversity are consumers with an appetite for conservation, who support it by purchasing products grazed on these lands. Shoppers see a special package designation – the Ô¼ÅÚÊÓÆµ Certified Bird-Friendly seal – that sets these products apart. For more information, visit .

News
A partial rainbow over sagebrush steppe landscape.
Our 2024 Ô¼ÅÚÊÓÆµ Conservation Ranching Bird Monitoring Results
September 27, 2024 — Bird activity and sightings on Ô¼ÅÚÊÓÆµ Certified bird-friendly ranches were noticeably higher this year.
Sunrise over pine trees.
Birding Tours on Cattle Ranches?
September 12, 2024 — Ô¼ÅÚÊÓÆµ Conservation Ranching and Reefs to Rockies add a new dimension to ecotourism.
A Burrowing Owl peers out from its burrow.
Looking Underground: Why Birds Need Healthy Soils
August 30, 2024 — Soil lays the foundation for the health of nearly all bird habitats.
Storm clouds over sagebrush steppe.
Pat O’Toole
April 04, 2024 — A rancher, conservationist, and friend of Ô¼ÅÚÊÓÆµ.
A group of people pose for a photo in front of a sign at Rafter W Ranch.
A Master Birding Class Field Trip to Rafter W Ranch
February 01, 2024 — Denver Ô¼ÅÚÊÓÆµ shares what they learned while visiting an Ô¼ÅÚÊÓÆµ-certified bird-friendly ranch in eastern Colorado.