Every year, billions of birds migrate north in the spring and south in the fall, the majority of them flying at night, navigating with the night sky. However, as they pass over big cities on their way, they can become disoriented by bright artificial lights and skyglow, often causing them to collide with buildings or windows.
While lights can throw birds off their migration paths, bird fatalities are more directly caused by the amount of energy the birds waste flying around and calling out in confusion. The exhaustion can then leave them vulnerable to other urban threats.
Dozens of species are affected, including priority species—those we have identified as most in need of and most likely to benefit from our help— such as the Allen’s Hummingbird, Wood Thrush, and Golden-winged Warbler. Just one building can cause major problems for birds in the area; within one week in 2017, nearly 400 passerines (warblers, grosbeaks, etc.) were caught in the floodlights of a 32-story Texas skyscraper and killed via window collisions.
The strategy is simple: by convincing building owners and managers to turn off excess lighting during the months migrating birds are flying overhead, we help to provide them safe passage between their nesting and wintering grounds.
Turning off bright lights helps birds move on within minutes, as discovered by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and New York City Audubon during the annual 9/11 memorial in New York City. Hundreds of birds are caught in the memorial’s beams every year but turning them off for just 20 to 30 minutes at a time greatly reduces the density of birds in the area. Taking more steps to decrease the amount of light our buildings emit minimizes unnecessary bird deaths saves money by reducing energy consumption, and supports your or your organization’s sustainability goals.
Explore the map below to learn more about Lights Out efforts happening across cities and regions in the United States, or explore existing Lights Out programs in list format. Please check back for updates and notify staff if you see that updates are needed.
Looking for more information on the risk of glass and artificial light at night to birds?
Download a two-page fact sheet HERE that has an overview of the issues and what people can do to help.
Reaching out to local elected officials or building managers can help raise awareness of the risk artificial light at night poses to birds and can spur them to action! Below are templates you can use to create your own letters to use in your local community.
Sample Form Letter to Elected Official
Sample Form Letter to Building Manager
Additional resources are available on Reducing Collisions with Glass.
Audubon chapters across the U.S. have been instrumental in convincing cities to turn their lights out for migrating birds.
Programs across the continent help protect birds from colliding with buildings.
A new study, based at New York City's 9/11 tribute, shows that artificial lights lure birds from their migratory routes.
In recent weeks, Members of Congress have introduced two bipartisan bills that will help protect and conserve birds across the country and around the...
A new study finds that certain species are at greater risk—and that skyscrapers aren't the biggest culprits.
The incident in Charlotte, North Carolina, has puzzled experts, who can only speculate as to why Chimney Swifts were on the move at night.
