Think Bluebirds!

FAQ About Eastern Bluebirds

The Backyard Naturalist’s best (always free!) advice, simple tips and answers to frequently asked questions about hosting Bluebirds.

This is the Gift That Lasts a Lifetime

Open the door to Nature for someone you love! Especially your children or grandchildren!

These are gifts that bring joy all year round and can be the start of something big:

Winter: Water, WATER, W-A-T-E-R!!!

Why Heat Bird Baths?

Because there are benefits for you and your birds— sometimes even for your bird bath itself— for keeping baths ice-free.

Reasons Why Winter Bird Baths Make a Difference

Birds need water all year round for drinking and bathing, but winter brings a new challenge: staying warm.

  • Your freshly filled (ice-free!) birdbath allows birds to clean and preen their feathers to effectively insulate against the cold.
  • Natural sources may all freeze over.
  • There are fewer bird baths available as many people don't realize there's "a reason every season".

Please share with friends and family how essential their winter bird baths are for songbirds' survival.

About The Backyard Naturalist

The Backyard Naturalist is the area's largest and oldest independent retailer of products for wild birds and gifts for nature lovers of all ages! Proudly serving Maryland and the Washington, DC metro area for over thirty years.

We are Maryland's first and only store to be awarded Droll Yankees' Five Feather Platinum Premier dealer status.

We take care of our feathered friends’ needs year-round:

The Backyard Blog Archive

Our Mission

For over 30 years, The Backyard Naturalist has had this mission:
To inspire our community to appreciate and nurture the nature found in all our backyards by providing a sanctuary of food, water and shelter for wild birds.

Each of our backyard habitats contributes to the health and well-being of not only the individual visitors to our feeders and baths, but is also one more piece of habitat restored and connected to Migratory Flyways. As green space increasingly disappears due to development, our backyard micro habitats link together, backyard by backyard, across our county – our state – our country.

Shop Small and Shop Local


Shopping local, small businesses keeps your money in your community.


Store Hours

  • Tuesday  10 - 6
  • Wednesday  10 - 6
  • Thursday  10 - 6
  • Friday   10 - 6
  • Saturday   10 - 6
  • Sunday   12 - 5
  • Monday  Closed

Updated Pickups Process

Simple! Just call us. No need for online form or email ordering now that the store's open for indoor shopping.

  •  Call 301-924-0024 when you arrive in our parking lot.
  •  Stay in your car.
  •  We do the rest!

For now, masks are preferred (and much appreciated) inside our store.

Join The Backyard Naturalist Team

We're hiring! Help us connect with someone awesome!
Find out more here.

Contact Us

The Backyard Naturalist
17910 Georgia Avenue
Olney MD 20832

301-924-0024

Email us at info@thebyn.com
but phone calls still work best!

Flock with Us

View our YouTube channel See photos on Flickr

Or subscribe to our email updates:

Our emails are rare birds and fly in as seasonal reminders carrying noteworthy information. We promise their chicks will never hatch in your InBox.

Our mailing list NEVER migrates, so your info stays private.

‘Best Of’ Montgomery

Thank you for voting us ‘Best Of’
MoCo’s Best Gift Shop
Montgomery County, Maryland!!!