DURHAM, NC— Migrating birds face a myriad of threats during their long journeys south, from habitat loss to declining food resources, but there is a lot we can do to help them get to their wintering grounds safely. It starts as early as tonight in your own home or place of work and is as simple as turning off unnecessary lights from 11pm to 6am.
Most birds migrate at night, using the moon and stars to navigate their way and often fly over urban centers. Unfortunately, bright lights can distract birds, causing them to become disoriented and collide with buildings or collapse from exhaustion. A study released last year estimates that more than 1 billion birds die per year in the United States as a result of building collisions.
“Many people think that skyscrapers in densely populated areas are the primary issue for night-migrating birds,” said Executive Director Curtis Smalling. “But a greater number of bird-building collisions take place at much smaller structures.”
This is largely due to the fact that there is a larger number of homes and small buildings in the United States than there are skyscrapers, making them more likely for birds to encounter on their southward journeys.
The good news is that there are easy actions people can take to decrease bird mortality during migration. Start by turning off your own lights at night, then lobby your local government to do the same. In fact, North Carolina has been a leader in the Lights Out movement for more than a decade. Nine municipalities and counties across the state have started Lights Out programs, including Winston-Salem, Asheville, Greensboro, Matthews, Raleigh, Chapel Hill, Cary, Durham, and Cumberland County.
As fall migration brings greater bird traffic to our area, join the growing Lights Out movement. Here is what you can do to help no matter where you live or work:
- Turn off exterior decorative lighting
- Extinguish pot and flood-lights
- Substitute strobe lighting wherever possible
- Reduce atrium lighting wherever possible
- Reduce interior lighting especially on higher stories
- Close blinds and curtains
- Down-shield exterior lighting to eliminate horizontal glare and all light directed upward
- Install automatic motion sensors and controls wherever possible
- When converting to new lighting assess quality and quantity of light needed, avoiding over-lighting with newer, brighter technology
To learn how you can get involved with an active Lights Out program, contact your local chapter and spread the word with this social media toolkit.
Media Contact: Brittany Salmons, brittany.salmons@audubon.org
About Audubon North Carolina
Audubon North Carolina, a state program of the National Audubon Society, has offices in Durham, Boone, Corolla, and Wilmington. Learn more at nc.audubon.org and on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. The National Audubon Society protects birds and the places they need, today and tomorrow. A nonprofit conservation organization since 1905, Audubon works throughout the Americas using science, advocacy, education, and on-the-ground conservation. Learn more at audubon.org and on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @audubonsociety.
