Do you love wildlife and nature? Are you looking for ways to share your love of wildlife with family and friends or keep supporters of your fundraiser engaged without repeating the same message over and over again? We've got you covered.
We've compiled the ultimate list of holidays celebrating wildlife and nature. You can use this list to plan your social media calendar or share something new with your followers just for fun.
January
January 5: National Bird Day - The Avian Welfare Coalition’s National Bird Day campaign aims to reduce the suffering of birds by raising public awareness of the destructive bird trade, the realities of cruel bird breeding mills, and ways to improve the welfare of birds already in captivity. Learn more at avianwelfare.org.
February
February is National Bird Feeding Month to raise awareness for the plight of wild birds during the wintertime. February is one of the most difficult months in the United States for wild birds and people are encouraged to provide food, water, and shelter to help wild birds survive. Learn more at nationalbirdfeedingmonth.com.
February 2: Groundhog Day - On February 2, the groundhog will emerge from hibernation, come out of his den, and predict whether winter will deliver more cold weather this year. Learn more about this annual tradition on the Library of Congress Blog.
February 5: Western Monarch Day - Western Monarch Day was established to celebrate the Monarch butterfly’s epic, almost-3000-mile-long return back to California from all over the western U.S., as a part of their seasonal migration. Learn more at nationaltoday.com.
February 22: National Wildlife Day - National Wildlife Day, founded in 2005 by animal behaviorist and philanthropist Colleen Paige, serves to bring awareness of endangered animals that need to be preserved and rescued. Learn more at nationalwildlifeday.com.
March
March 3: World Wildlife Day - United Nations World Wildlife Day (WWD) is celebrated every year on March 3 to celebrate wild animals and plants. Every year, we recognize the unique roles and contributions of wildlife to people and the planet. Learn more at wildlifeday.org.
March 12: National Plant a Flower Day - March 12 is National Plant a Flower Day, and you can celebrate it by planting some milkweed and starting a pollinator garden to help the dwindling numbers of monarch butterflies. Learn more on USAtoday.com.
March 19: First Day of Spring - The vernal equinox, the official start date for the season in the Northern Hemisphere, will occur at exactly 11:06 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, March 19. Learn more at almanac.com.
March 20: World Frog Day - World Frog Day is a day dedicated to raising awareness for frogs and other amphibians. Frog populations have been under threat and many species are disappearing, or have already gone extinct! Learn more at worldfrogday.org.
March 21: National Flower Day - Celebrate National Flower Day with a beautiful bouquet of your favorite blooms - brighten up your home and lift your spirits with fresh flowers! Learn more at holidaycalender.io.
Celebrate Spring with Native Plants!
Visit the Garden for Wildlife shop to buy easy-care, vibrant plants hand-picked to thrive year after year in your zip code. Attract birds, butterflies, and bees to your garden.
April
April is National Garden Month in celebration of the great American tradition of gardening at home, at school and in the community. Gardens are not just oasis for people. They are critical habitats for pollinators like bees, bats, birds, beetles, butterflies, and other animals. Learn more at usda.gov.
Native Plant Month is also celebrated in April. In the fall of 2022, the Garden Club of America launched a nationwide, multidisciplinary, cross-committee collaboration to promote native plants by formally establishing a Native Plant Month in all fifty states. Learn more at nationalnativeplantmonth.org.
April 1-7: Wildlife Week - The first full week of April is the National Wildlife Federation's annual celebration of National Wildlife Week, dating all the way back to 1938. Learn more at nwf.org.
April 13: Plant Appreciation Day - International Plant Appreciation Day is a great chance to give your plants some extra pampering and celebrate how plants enrich our lives.
April 14: National Gardening Day - National Gardening Day celebrates all there is to love about gardening, connecting people to the earth and allowing for moderate exercise in the sunshine and fresh air. Learn more at energy.gov.
April 22: Earth Day - Earth Day, the world's largest environmental movement, has been celebrated on April 22 since 1970 to mobilize people and protect the planet. Learn more at earthday.org.
April 26: Arbor Day - National Arbor Day is celebrated on the last Friday in April to support the Arbor Day Foundation on their mission to plant 500 million trees by 2027. Learn more at arborday.org.
April 27: National Go Birding Day - National Go Birding Day is held on the last Saturday in April every year. To celebrate it this year, we are going to do a short bird count to see who is hanging out in the park this time of year.
May
May is Garden for Wildlife Month, a time of year when we come together to recognize and celebrate our collective impact as gardeners for wildlife by highlighting incredible stories from our community and sharing ideas to connect and learn from one another.
No-Mow May is all month: refrain from mowing your lawn during early spring to allow pollinators to wake up. Low or No Mow May might be right for you! The best way to stop mowing (and help wildlife) is to replace your lawn with native plants.
May 5-11: Amphibian Week - Amphibian Week was started in 2020 by the Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (PARC) and partners as a way to increase awareness about amphibians and to celebrate all things amphibian. It is celebrated annually the first full week of May. Learn more at parcplace.org.
May 10: National Public Gardens Day - The National Public Gardens Day™ initiative, celebrated annually on the Friday before Mother’s Day in May, was created by Rain Bird® and the American Public Gardens Association to promote public awareness of gardens, gardening, plant and water conservation, and environmental issues and initiatives. Learn more at rainbird.com.
May 11: World Migratory Bird Day - World Migratory Bird Day is officially celebrated on the second Saturday of May in Canada and the US. The focus of this year’s World Migratory Bird Day, a global campaign that aims to raise awareness of migratory birds and the need for international cooperation to conserve them. Learn more at migratorybirdday.org.
May 20: World Bee Day - To raise awareness of the importance of planting for pollinators, the threats they face, and their contribution to sustainable development, the UN designated 20 May as World Bee Day. Learn more at un.org.
June
June is Great Outdoors Month, in recognition of the health, social, and economic benefits of exploring the great outdoors. Learn more at nps.gov.
Perennial Gardening Month is also celebrated in June. Unlike biennials or annuals, perennials come back to one’s garden year after year. Learn more at gardenclub.org.
June 5: World Environment Day - World Environment Day is the United Nations day for encouraging worldwide awareness and action to protect our environment. Learn more at worldenvironmentday.global.
June 17-23: National Pollinator Week - Pollinator Week is an annual celebration in support of pollinator health that was initiated and is managed by Pollinator Partnership. It is a time to raise awareness for pollinators and spread the word about what we can do to protect them. Learn more at pollinator.org.
June 20: First Day of Summer - Summer begins with the solstice on Thursday, June 20, 2024, marking the astronomical first day of summer in the Northern Hemisphere. Learn more at almanac.com.
September
September 7: National Hummingbird Day - National Hummingbird Day is celebrated on the first Saturday of September each year, offering bird enthusiasts and nature lovers alike the chance to honor one of Earth’s most captivating creatures. Learn more at earth.com.
September 22: First Day of Fall - The fall equinox and the first day of autumn arrives on Sunday, September 22, 2024, at 08:44 A.M. EDT in the Northern Hemisphere. The equinox occurs at the same moment worldwide. Learn more at almanac.com.
October
October 24-31: Bat Week - Bat Week is an international, annual celebration designed to raise awareness about the need for bat conservation. Learn more at batweek.org, and learn how to create habitat for bats.
December
December 21: First Day of Winter - The first day of winter in the Northern Hemisphere is marked by the winter solstice, which occurs on Thursday, December 21. Also known as the "shortest day of the year," the winter solstice has fewest hours of sunlight throughout the year. Learn more at almanac.com.
Did we miss a holiday? Let us know on social media using #gardenforwildlife or by tagging @gardenforwildlife.