Turn Off Lights for Birds in Flight!

By: Lizze Ferrari, Sustainability & Behavior Change Manager

During peak migration periods in the spring and fall, billions of birds travel across the United States, largely under the cover of darkness. Amidst this awe-inspiring natural spectacle, a rapidly escalating and often overlooked threat looms: light pollution.  

Light can both attract and disorient migrating birds, leading to confusion, fatigue, and an increased risk of collisions with buildings. By turning off lights these hazards are significantly reduced, providing migrating birds with a safer and less stressful passage on their journey. 

Some bird-friendly tips from our friends at BirdCast: 

• Turn off non-essential lights from 11:00pm until 6:00am during critical migration periods. 

• Turn off or dim lobby and atrium lights. 

• Turn off or dim interior home lighting, or draw blinds to prevent light escaping. 

• Turn off decorative landscape lighting. 

• Be sure outside lights are aimed down and well shielded. 

• Install motion sensors on outside lights to minimize use. 

• When replacing your next outdoor light fixture, look for lighting that is Internationally Dark Sky-Approved. 

Spring migration runs from approximately March 1 through June 15 and fall migration from approximately August 15 through November 30. 

Interested in your local migration? Click here to check out BirdCast’s bird migration forecast maps.