Don’t Miss Out on the Fun!

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:

The Backyard Blog Archive

Your Backyard Habitat

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 35 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:

Our Mission

For 35 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
  • Mondays   Closed

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!

Please note: We don’t ship or do e-commerce.

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.

The Backyard Naturalist is a proud member of the Olney Chamber of Commerce. "Shop and Dine Local!"

‘Best Of’ Montgomery

Voted Montgomery County Maryland's Best Gift Shop

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