Coffee plants were grown under tall shade trees for centuries. These trees provided a refuge for a variety of migratory birds. 

In the 1970s, a sun-resistant hybrid of the coffee plant was developed that is more productive than the previous coffee plantations. The shade-giving trees were therefore no longer necessary for coffee cultivation and were largely cut down.

The deforestation of the important habitat of migratory birds has ensured that only around 10% of the birds find refuge in the coffee plantations.

In addition to the benefits of shade-grown coffee plants for songbirds, experts argue that coffee that ripens more slowly in the shade has a higher sugar content and therefore a richer flavour.

However, sun-resistant coffee plantations produce three times more coffee.

Bird-friendly coffee comes from regions where the coffee plants still grow under shady trees.