The Birds and the Beans

"God in a cup." "Perfection." "The world's best coffee." Panamanian geisha coffee has been called many things, but never Smithsonian Bird Friendly certified. That might soon change, however, as researchers from Smithsonian National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute’s Migratory Bird Center find new ways to grow coffee in harmony with migratory songbirds. Join us for this fully caffeinated romp through Panama’s coffee farms as we learn all about the birds and the beans.

Transcript

Guests:

• Ruth Bennett, research ecologist at the Smithsonian National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute’s Migratory Bird Center
• Katherine Araúz Ponce, fellow at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute and PhD student at The University of Georgia
• Maria Ruiz, owner of Ruiz Coffee Distributors
• Ratibor & Aliss Hartmann, owners of Finca Hartmann, specialty coffee and ecotourism 
• Price Peterson, owner of Hacienda La Esmeralda 

Smithsonian Links:

• In 2019, a study by the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center and four other bird conservation organizations found that the United States and Canada had lost nearly 3 billion birds since 1970, signaling an ecological crisis. Get key takeaways from the report and learn simple actions you can take to help birds from Cornell Lab.
• Learn more about efforts to champion the Bird Friendly Coffee program in Latin America with an outline, photos, and mini documentary from the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute.
• Find Smithsonian Bird Friendly coffee at a retailer near you or order your preferred roast online.