Is Birds and Blooms still published?

Birds & Blooms is a magazine that focuses on backyard birding and gardening. It provides information, tips, and advice for attracting birds and growing beautiful gardens. Many loyal readers have been enjoying Birds & Blooms for years and wonder if it is still being published.

Quick Answer

Yes, Birds & Blooms magazine is still being published today. It was launched in 1995 by Reiman Publications and continues to be published 8 times per year. In 2002, Reiman Publications was acquired by Reader’s Digest Association, but Birds & Blooms magazine continued publication without interruption.

Birds & Blooms History

Birds & Blooms was first published in January 1995 by Reiman Publications in Greendale, Wisconsin. The magazine was founded by Roy Reiman, who saw a need for a publication devoted to backyard birding and gardening. At the time, interest in birding was growing rapidly, but there were few magazines focused on attracting birds to the backyard.

The premiere issue featured birding experts Roger Tory Peterson and David Sibley on the cover. In the first year, Birds & Blooms had a circulation of 500,000 subscribers. This demonstrated the strong demand for a magazine about backyard birds and gardening. Over the years, the magazine has continued to thrive and maintain a large readership of passionate birding and gardening enthusiasts.

Founding and Early History

Roy Reiman founded Reiman Publications in 1965 and over the years launched several successful magazines, including Taste of Home, Country, and Reminisce. Birds & Blooms was the company’s 38th magazine. Reiman wanted to provide inspiring and practical content that would help mainstream America enjoy their backyards more while attracting birds with feeders, houses, baths, and gardens.

In the early years, the magazine connected with leading experts in birding and gardening to provide authoritative information. Well-known birding experts such as Pete Dunne and Kenn Kaufman contributed articles that helped readers identify and attract different bird species. Gardening sections provided tips to select the best flowers, plants, and trees to attract birds.

Reiman Publications invested heavily in customer service, research, and testing to ensure the content matched subscribers’ interests. The company sent surveys to readers to guide editorial content and grew the magazine’s circulation through direct mail offers targeted to potential customers. This approach helped the magazine cultivate a loyal following in its early years.

Growth and Development

Birds & Blooms continued to increase its reach and authority in the 1990s and 2000s. As the internet emerged, the magazine launched its website BirdsandBlooms.com to complement the print content. The website provided more tips, articles, and interactive content to engage readers. This expanded the brand and gave more ways to connect with audiences.

The magazine started the Birding Basics series in 1999 to provide more in-depth articles teaching beginners the fundamentals. Bird watchers of all levels enjoyed learning more about topics like bird feeding, nesting, identification, bird houses, bird baths, and more. This helped cement Birds & Blooms as an authoritative source for backyard birding advice and information.

In 2002, Reader’s Digest Association acquired Reiman Publications, adding Birds & Blooms to its portfolio of magazines. Under new ownership, Birds & Blooms continued its rapid growth. Reader’s Digest had the resources to expand the magazine’s circulation through additional direct mail marketing. The magazine’s circulation reached over 2 million by 2006.

Recent Developments

Birds & Blooms remains a thriving publication more than 25 years after its founding. Under ownership of Trusted Media Brands, the magazine reaches over 3 million readers and the website attracts over 1.5 million visitors per month. The magazine has been able to adapt and maintain popularity through changing times.

Editorial Developments

While still covering backyard birding and gardening, Birds & Blooms has expanded editorial content over the years:

• Monthly birding information with tips to attract different species each month
• Home and garden design ideas, including landscaping with birds in mind
• Birdwatching beyond the backyard with features on public parks, nature preserves, and destinations
• Nature crafts, cooking, and lifestyle content tied to birds and gardening
• Pet care and animal-related content

These expanded topics allow the magazine to appeal to broader interests while still delivering the birding and gardening content readers value most.

Digital Developments

From the early days of BirdsandBlooms.com to today, the brand has evolved digitally:

• Active social media presence with Pinterest, Facebook, YouTube
• Weekly email newsletters with birding tips and gardening ideas
• Robust website with searchable content, bird id guides, photo galleries
• Tablet editions and mobile apps to access content on phones and devices
• Sweepstakes and contests to engage readers
• Bird cam live streams

These digital assets allow Birds & Blooms to engage and inform readers beyond just the print magazine. The digital presence brings added value and convenience for subscribers.

Business Developments

Ownership changes over the years have impacted Birds & Blooms:

• Launched by Reiman Publications in 1995
• Acquired by Reader’s Digest Association in 2002
• Reader’s Digest Association restructured in 2009, forming RDA Holding Company
• RDA Holding Company became Trusted Media Brands in 2014

Through these changes, Birds & Blooms has remained an active brand. The magazine maintains a sizable subscriber base, newsstand presence, and strong digital properties. The resources of larger publishers have helped the brand thrive and expand its reach through the years.

Birds & Blooms Today

Birds & Blooms continues to publish 8 issues per year. The magazine shares birding and gardening tips, nature photography, seasonal projects, reader gardens, wild bird profiles, and more. Issues include popular recurring features like:

• Backyard Birding – bird watching tips, bird feeding advice, bird identification
• Bird Brains – Q&A addressing common reader questions
• Blooming Recipe – recipes using garden-grown ingredients
• Nesting News – articles on baby birds and breeding habits

Here are some key facts about Birds & Blooms today:

Birds & Blooms has been able to thrive in the digital age when many print publications have struggled. The magazine cultivates passionate readers who are interested in gardening and feeding wild birds. This specialization gives the brand focus and authority.

Additionally, the magazine delivers practical, solution-oriented content homeowners can apply in their own backyards. It serves an enthusiast audience that appreciates quality, trustworthy information. These factors contribute to the enduring popularity of Birds & Blooms for over 25 years.

The Future

Birds & Blooms appears positioned for continued success. Backyard birding and gardening remain popular hobbies, especially among the magazine’s target demographic of older adults. And the brand has demonstrated an ability to evolve content and diversify revenue over the years. Some positive signs for Birds & Blooms future include:

• Interest in birding and gardening remains strong. 37.9 million Americans watch birds, and 77% participated in lawn and garden care over a year according to surveys.
• Baby boomers remain core audience, and number of Americans over 65 is increasing.
• Magazine has expanded content to lifestyle, cooking, crafts, and pets to widen appeal.
• Digital platforms bring in new and younger audiences.
• E-commerce sales of bird feeders, birdhouses, gardening tools, and more diversify revenue.

Birds & Blooms faces some challenges, such as increased competition from online content and declines in print readership. However, the brand seems well positioned to leverage its authority in the birding space and deliver solutions to homeowners with birds and gardens. The future looks bright for this beloved magazine that has nurtured bird and garden enthusiasts for over 25 years.

Conclusion

Birds & Blooms magazine continues to be published today and thrive after over 25 years. Launched in 1995 by Roy Reiman to tap growing interest in birding, the magazine cultivated an audience of backyard birding and gardening enthusiasts. Through ownership changes, the brand expanded its reach and adapted content to lifestyle topics beyond just birds and gardening.

With over 3 million readers, Birds & Blooms demonstrates there is still vitality in specialized print magazines that serve passionate niche audiences. For those curious if Birds & Blooms is still around after all these years, the answer is a resounding yes. This beloved publication continues to inform bird and garden lovers around the country, while also expanding its digital presence and diversifying into e-commerce. The future looks bright for Birds & Blooms as interest in birding and gardening shows no signs of waning.