LIGHTS OUT LOUISVILLE
A small portion of the thousands of birds that died colliding with buildings in downtown Philadelphia on
October 2, 2020. Photo: Courtesy of Stephen Maciejewski
Millions of birds migrate every spring and fall night. But many don't survive the journey: Each year, billions of birds die from collisions with artificially lit buildings and windows.
But together, we can change that—and make migration safer for birds.
Operating across Kentucky and S. Indiana, the Lights Out Louisville program works to prevent the unnecessary deaths of migrating birds.
Read more below, and on our website dedicated to the Lights Out Louisville program, to learn how we all have the chance to make a difference.
But together, we can change that—and make migration safer for birds.
Operating across Kentucky and S. Indiana, the Lights Out Louisville program works to prevent the unnecessary deaths of migrating birds.
Read more below, and on our website dedicated to the Lights Out Louisville program, to learn how we all have the chance to make a difference.
You can save birds by doing what you can to reduce light pollution.
All it takes: making some small—but powerful—choices, especially during peak bird migration months (April and May in the spring, and September and October in the fall) and times 11 p.m.–6 a.m.:
All it takes: making some small—but powerful—choices, especially during peak bird migration months (April and May in the spring, and September and October in the fall) and times 11 p.m.–6 a.m.:
- Turn off interior lights when no one is in a room.
- Close blinds, shades, and curtains after dark.
- Turn off decorative outdoor lighting, or limit lighting to ground level.
- Use timers or motion sensors for essential outdoor lighting where possible.
- Add “down-shields” to outdoor lighting to point light toward the ground versus at the sky.
- Choose warmer-toned bulbs (2700 Kelvin or lower) for outdoor lighting.
WHAT IS LIGHTS OUT?
Lights Out is a nationwide effort led by the National Audubon Society to help migrating birds by working with building owners, managers, and residents to voluntarily turn off unnecessary lights during periods when lights are most likely to affect migrating or nocturnal birds—specifically between ~ end of March through May in the spring and ~the end of August through October in the fall.
Lights Out Louisville joins 50 other cities nationwide participating in the Lights Out campaign to reduce the staggering number of bird deaths a year caused by light pollution.
Lights Out is a nationwide effort led by the National Audubon Society to help migrating birds by working with building owners, managers, and residents to voluntarily turn off unnecessary lights during periods when lights are most likely to affect migrating or nocturnal birds—specifically between ~ end of March through May in the spring and ~the end of August through October in the fall.
Lights Out Louisville joins 50 other cities nationwide participating in the Lights Out campaign to reduce the staggering number of bird deaths a year caused by light pollution.
3.8 million birds flew over Jefferson County in the evening and early morning hours of Derby Day 2023. That's more than 25 times the number of Derby attendees that day!
3,765,000 birds migrated over Jefferson County, Kentucky, on the night after Derby last year (from 8:40 p.m. May 6 to ~6:00 a.m. May 7, 2023
3,765,000 birds migrated over Jefferson County, Kentucky, on the night after Derby last year (from 8:40 p.m. May 6 to ~6:00 a.m. May 7, 2023
From: https://birdcast.info/migration-tools/live-migration-maps/