Fire suppression has resulted in a greater density of ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) in grassland and shrub-steppe habitats potentially reducing habitat quality for declining grassland and shrub-steppe birds. Birds were surveyed at 10 shrub-steppe sites in the southern Okanagan Valley of British Columbia to examine whether encroachment of pine affected grassland and shrub-steppe birds. Encounter rates did not differ between years and were combined for a total of 4,281 sightings and 80 species. Sites with more ponderosa pine had a greater diversity of birds. Grassland and shrub-steppe birds as a group declined with increasing numbers of trees. Forest and open woodland birds increased in number as did generalist birds. These results support conservation efforts to reduce conifer densities in shrub-steppe habitats to benefit associated declining bird populations.