THE ISSUE:
During bird migration periods, it is estimated that up to one billion birds will collide with buildings and other human made structures in the United States every year. This is only a fraction of all birds at risk for collisions during migration worldwide. The collisions occur mostly due to artificial lights and glass windows on tall buildings when birds are flying at night. Unfortunately, most of these collisions are fatal.
Wild birds aren’t familiar with human made materials such as transparent or glass windows on buildings, and when they see plants indoors, it can be confusing as well. They’ll fly into windows, mistaking greenery for an outdoor area, or fly into windows that appear to be a clear path for them to travel.
LIGHTS OUT:
The Lights Out Newark campaign is a bi-annual movement to encourage dimming of lights, in an effort to reduce bird fatalities during migration periods. For information about Lights Out Newark, visit our webpage or view the FAQ.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
12 Ways to Help Delaware Birds Survive in Winter (Delaware Online Article)
- Read about & advocate for Bird-Safe Design in Development (Bloomberg CityLab)
- Best Practices for Effective Lighting, 2017, City of Toronto
- Bird-Friendly Best Practices: Glass, 2016, City of Toronto
