A partnership between the City of Marion, Friends of Marion Parks and Iowa BIG has resulted in Marion being designated a Bird Friendly Iowa community. Marion is proud to contribute to the creation and preservation of wildlife and bird habitat in our community. Through this initiative, Marion is also increasing advocacy for more community involvement in urban bird conservation through education and engagement opportunities.

The Bird Friendly City designation is in addition to Marion’s Tree City USA designation, and will help to highlight the efforts that are already being made to provide increased native habitat for insects, birds, and other wildlife in the region. For more information on the Tree City designation and conservation efforts, please visit our Urban Forestry page.

Marion's Migratory Bird & Arbor Day Celebration

May 2026  |  Thomas Park

Marion’s Migratory Bird and Arbor Day Celebration is planned for May 2026, at Thomas Park. The event will provide resources for keeping birds and the environment thriving. 

“Marion is proud to be recognized as a Bird Friendly Community, now for the fifth year,” said Mary Weber, horticulturist for the City of Marion. “We want to take an opportunity each year to celebrate all that our birds and natural spaces do for our community and to recognize the joy that nature brings to us all.”

Partner organizations include:

• Marion Parks and Recreation Department
• Friends of Marion Parks
• Marion Parks Foundation
• Marion Tree Board
• Cedar Rapids Audubon
• Linn County Master Gardeners
• Paul Knapp – Bird House Donor
• RARE Group
• Monarch Research
• Iowa DNR
• Cedar Rapids Audubon
• Wapsi Woodworks
• The Freeze Ice Cream Truck

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Marion's first Regional Migratory Bird Celebration took place on May 8, 2021. Play the recap of the event below.

Resources:

The following links provide information on how you can be involved in protecting our birds and offer ideas, both large and small, that will aid in our conservation efforts. 

Bird Watching & Birding Apps:

• Marion Regional Bird Species List
• Linn County Bird Species List – Iowa Ornithologists’ Union
• Merlin Bird ID App
• eBird Journal/Recording App & Website
• NestWatch App & Website
• Bird Songs & Calls
  
  

Providing Habitat & Food:

• Backyard Bird Habitat
• Bird House & Nest Box Plans – 54 Species
• Feeding Birds
  
  

Protecting Birds:

• Preventing Window Collisions
• Pesticide Effects on Birds
• Green Alternatives – Weed Killers

Injured, Sick, or Baby Birds:

• What To Do – Injured/Sick Birds
• What To Do – Baby Bird Out of Nest
  
  

• American Bird Conservancy
• Cedar Rapids Audubon Society
• Iowa Ornithologists’ Union
• Iowa Young Birders