Wildlife

Wild Bird Light Pollution Nocturnal Migration

How artificial light at night disrupts nocturnal bird migration and causes collision mortality, with mitigation approaches.

Key Facts

Many songbirds migrate at night using stars and magnetic cues for navigation
Artificial light disorients nocturnal migrants, drawing them off course into urban areas
Lit buildings cause mass mortality events at key migration sites, especially in poor visibility
Lights Out programs in US cities have reduced bird mortality by dimming lights during migration
Radar data can predict high migration nights, enabling targeted lighting reductions

Welfare Considerations

Light pollution causes millions of migrating birds to collide with lit structures annually, causing traumatic injury and death. Preventable mitigation through targeted lighting reduction during peak migration can save enormous numbers of individual birds.

What You Can Do

Participate in or advocate for Lights Out programs during peak migration nights
Turn off or reduce visible lighting in spring and autumn migration periods
Support building design standards that require bird-safe lighting during migration