Graphic of silhouetted birds against a starry blue background. Dim the Lights for Birds at Night, World Migratory Bird Day May 14.

World Migratory Bird Day 2022

Audubon was a proud sponsor of World Migratory Bird Day 2022, celebrated May 14th in the U.S. and Canada and October 8th in Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean.

The theme for that year was “Dim the Lights for Birds at Night,” focusing on the impact of light pollution on migratory birds.

Learn more about how light pollution affects birds and what Audubon is doing about it.  

Download these fact sheets on light pollution and solutions to make buildings more bird-friendly to share with others!
¡Descargue estas hojas informativas sobre la contaminación lumínica y las soluciones para hacer que los edificios sean más amigables con las aves y compártalas con los demás!

Dim the Lights to Save Birds at Night
Simple Solutions to Prevent Bird Collisions

Events

Audubon celebrated World Migratory Bird Day 2022 with a variety of events throughout the country. Click here to see a listing. We encourage you to continue the celebration year round, with festivities and events spotlighting birds, the issues they face, and actions we can take to help.

Live, In Person

Host on Owl Prowl in your local area to see these birds and other nocturnal wildlife (and/or to enjoy the night sky). If you haven’t hosted an Owl Prowl before, you can find more information on hosting one here.

Stargazing party (alone or with IDA partner) – or you might want to collaborate with a local IDA chapter or other astronomy focused organization on a joint Owl Prowl/Stargazing party. Note: in 2022 there will be a New Moon on April 30th and a Full Moon on May 15th.

Nighttime Story Time that helps teach the public about migratory birds and the night

Hosting a nighttime walk or hike to see first-hand how light pollution is affecting your area and sharing ways to help reduce the impacts.

Virtual

Host a virtual viewing of a show that gives participants a glimpse into how wildlife experiences the night. Examples include:

The Netflix show ‘Night on Earth’ shares beautiful footage on wildlife at night with narration (by Samira Wiley); one episode focuses on ‘Sleepless Cities’ including a short segment of Vaux’s Swifts in Portland, Oregon (but does not speak to the impact of ALAN on night migrating birds).

Apple TV+ features a show called ‘Earth at Night’ that currently has six episodes narrated by Tom Hiddleston. Birds are not the centerpiece of any of the episodes but the footage is very beautiful.

Host an event featuring a replay of a documentary or pre-recorded webinar on the impacts of Artificial Light at Night for your audience. For example:

Saving the Dark, a documentary on the impact of light pollution by Sriram Murali in collaboration with the International Dark-Sky Association that is available on YouTube.

Host a live virtual webinar on the impacts of Artificial Light at Night on birds and ways to protect them.

Note: NAS is planning a webinar on the impacts of light pollution (and solutions) for Tuesday May 10th at 3 pm AT/4 pm PT/5 pm MT/6 pm CT/7 pm ET featuring a panel from around Audubon. Network members are welcome/encouraged to join and share with their audiences.

Resources

Need more information on light pollution? The Migratory Bird Initiative has you covered!

Turn Lights Out For Migrating Birds
Turn Lights Out For Migrating Birds

An estimated one billion birds are killed annually from direct collisions with illuminated buildings, towers, and other structures across the country. Take the pledge to stand with Audubon as we call on building owners, managers, and homeowners to turn off excess lighting during the months of bird migration.

Learn More About Lights Out
Birds That Rely On Dark Skies
Northern Flicker
Woodpeckers
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Wood Warblers
Black-and-white Warbler
Wood Warblers
! Priority Bird
American Woodcock
Sandpipers