Photo Credit: NASA Earth Observatory/NOAA NGDC

Lights Out Initiative

Artificial Lights have Devastating Effects on Many Bird Species

Every spring and fall, billions of birds migrate through the US, mostly under the cover of darkness. This mass movement of birds must struggle with a dramatically increasing threat: light pollution!

Lighting is an attractant – especially for migrating birds who often fly at night. Brightly lit buildings can draw birds in where they can hit windows or other obstacles.

Birds that migrate or hunt at night depend heavily on visual reference to maintain orientation. Interior or exterior artificial light can lure birds into lit areas, causing birds to become disoriented and entrapped, while circling in the illuminated zone. As a result, birds can succumb to exhaustion, predation or collision. 

Turning off lights dramatically reduces hazards from attraction to, and disorientation by light, allowing birds to safely proceed with their migratory journeys. 

Light pollution harms birds, but you can help!

What you can do: Lighting Solutions!

• Turn off unnecessary lights overnight, every night, or during migration seasons: mid-March through early June and late August through mid-November.

• Ensure that all exterior lighting is properly shielded and aimed down.

• If you’re converting exterior lamps to LED, choose a warm light LED (under 3,000 Kelvin)

• Make sure you’re not over-lighting: carefully choose the wattage of your exterior lamps.

• Switch to motion sensor lighting.

For More Information visit:

• BirdCast Lights Out

• Audubon Lights Out

• International Dark Sky