Animals & Wildlife
Where animal care, habitat, and community learning come together
Filbert Street Garden is home to domesticated animals, pollinators, and wildlife habitat projects that help make the garden lively, educational, and deeply connected to the community.
A Living Classroom
Animals and wildlife are part of the garden’s mission
At Filbert Street Garden, animals and wildlife are not separate from the work of the garden. They are part of how visitors learn about stewardship, food systems, biodiversity, and the relationships between people, animals, and land.
Some of the animals at the garden are rescued and now live safely in a space where they are cared for by staff, volunteers, and community members. Alongside them, wildlife and pollinator projects help support healthy urban ecosystems in Curtis Bay and surrounding neighborhoods.
Domesticated Animals
Animals that help make the garden welcoming, educational, and active
The garden is home to chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, honeybees, and Nigerian Dwarf goats, each contributing something meaningful to the life of the space.
Our Fowl
Chickens
Our garden is home to a mixed flock of chickens, many of whom are rescue birds from hoarding situations or strays recovered by Animal Control organizations throughout Maryland.
Each day, they free-range through the outer garden, helping manage pests like hornworms, ticks, wax moths, and cucumber beetles. When laying at their peak, they can produce fresh eggs that help support the curbside pantry.
Our Fowl
Turkeys
Our domesticated turkeys are among the friendliest birds at Filbert Street Garden and have become icons of the space.
Like chickens, they help by snacking on insects and other garden pests, making them both memorable visitors’ favorites and useful companions in the garden ecosystem.
Our Waterfowl
Ducks
Filbert Street Garden is home to a lively flock of domesticated ducks representing many breeds. They help control pests, support waterfowl education, and add energy and curiosity to the garden.
Their eggs are rich, flavorful, and nutrient-dense, and their presence gives visitors a chance to learn more about animal care and sustainable urban agriculture.
Our Waterfowl
Geese
The garden is home to domesticated geese who help protect the flock by deterring predators and keeping watch over the area.
Their presence adds both personality and function to the garden, while giving visitors an opportunity to observe seasonal animal behaviors up close.
Garden Guardians
European Honeybees
The European honeybee plays an important role in agriculture and food production. Roughly one-third of the crops we eat benefit from pollinators, and an estimated 85 to 90 percent of flowering plants rely on animal pollinators to reproduce.
Filbert Street Garden proudly hosts the largest community garden apiary in Maryland. Beyond pollination, our bees produce surplus honey and beeswax that help connect the community to the ecology and value of beekeeping.
Garden Favorites
Nigerian Dwarf Goats
Our miniature goats are among the most popular animals at the garden. Friendly, curious, and highly visible, they help visitors connect with livestock care in a fun and approachable way.
In the garden, goats help clear brush in designated pasture areas, creating a natural partnership between animal care, sustainability, and education. Visitors often stop by to greet them and bring favorite treats like baby carrots, celery, and bananas.
Garden Animals
A rescued and cared-for animal community
Filbert Street Garden is home to a small family of rescued animals who help make the space lively, educational, and welcoming for visitors. Ducks, chickens, geese, goats, and turkeys all contribute to the atmosphere of care and connection that defines the garden.
These animals help youth and adult visitors learn about compassion, stewardship, animal wellness, and the links between animals, food systems, and healthy land. Their presence makes the garden feel alive while supporting a deeper understanding of responsibility and respect for living things.
Urban Wildlife
Habitat projects that support biodiversity in South Baltimore
In addition to the domesticated animals at the garden, Filbert Street Garden also supports wildlife habitat, native pollinators, and ecological education through intentional projects across the site.
Bats
Our Batitat is home to six bat houses, providing important habitat for species that are increasingly vulnerable in urban environments. All ten bat species found in Maryland are considered Species of Greatest Conservation Need.
Bats play a valuable role in local ecosystems by helping control mosquitoes and other insects, making them powerful nighttime allies for both gardeners and public health.
Native Pollinators
Filbert Street Garden is working toward a goal of having 70 percent native trees across the site, helping create an oasis for native bees, butterflies, moths, and other pollinators.
Crops such as tomatoes and squash depend on native pollinators, making their protection an essential part of a healthy and productive garden ecosystem.
Animals & Wildlife Projects
Projects that educate, inspire, and strengthen the ecosystem
Every initiative at Filbert Street Garden is designed to nurture both the garden and the community. From pollinator support to hands-on learning, these projects are meant to grow knowledge, connection, and care for nature.
Pollinator Project
The largest community bee-yard in Maryland
Filbert Street Garden proudly hosts the largest community bee-yard in Maryland. Our honeybees pollinate a three-mile radius spanning Curtis Bay, Brooklyn, and Brooklyn Park, helping local plants and food systems thrive.
Beyond supporting the garden itself, we rescue and rehome swarms and established honeybee hives across Baltimore, promoting healthy bee populations citywide.
Each year, our Master Beekeeper also welcomes apprentices into the bee-yard, creating opportunities for hands-on learning and a deeper understanding of apiculture.
The Honey House
A new space for learning, processing, and community use
Some of the earliest features of Filbert Street Garden were the outdoor classroom and the shaded gathering space beneath Papa Mulberry. The garden has also long celebrated its connection to beekeeping.
By 2021, the garden had outgrown the outdoor classroom, and the lack of indoor space and public restroom access made it harder for schools and groups to schedule field trips and workshops.
The Honey House was designed to meet those challenges and expand what the garden can offer. It includes space for processing honey and beeswax, an indoor classroom, a learning kitchen, two ADA-compliant restrooms, and improved paths that make the site more accessible for all visitors.
Completed in spring 2026, the Honey House opens the door to new opportunities for classes, rentals, community events, and hands-on learning tied to agriculture, pollinators, and sustainability.
Learn More
Want to visit, volunteer, or explore more of the garden?
Filbert Street Garden’s animals and wildlife projects are part of a larger mission centered on education, stewardship, and community connection.