By Kepper Petzing | Contributing Writer
Every spring and fall, billions of birds migrate through North America. Most make this remarkable and perilous journey at night, sensing the magnetic pull of the earth and using the moon and stars to set their course. From mid-September through mid October, on any given night, a million birds might be flying over your home. Turning off lights in our homes during this time reduces skyglow over our cities, and can help birds make it to their destinations safely. Lights Out is a national and international campaign every September 19th – October 19th and repeating April 15th – May 19th for spring migration.
Why is light pollution dangerous?
Light from cities drowns out the stars and other natural cues birds use, disorienting them. The lights lure birds into the city, where they are at risk of colliding with windows. They may end up circling lighted areas until exhausted, often leading to death. Skyglow is the result of both too many lights and poorly designed fixtures that throw light up into the sky. Growing evidence links the loss of darkness at night to negative effects on wildlife and ecosystems, as well as crime and safety (yes, lights can increase crime and decrease safety.)
https://darksky.org/resources/what-is light-pollution/effects/safety/
Humans need the dark too! Multiple studies suggest that exposure to artificial light at night may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, depression, sleep disorders, obesity and breast cancer.
Follow the migrators.
Track our feathered friends with maps showing actual bird migration from sunset to sunrise, as detected by the US weather surveillance radar network.
Take the pledge.
You can make decreasing night light an all year plan. Turning off unnecessary lights helps us save energy, reduces our carbon footprint, saves money, improves health, and lets us see the stars.
The Bird Alliance of Oregon has a pledge program which many corporations, small businesses, homeowners and renters have taken. Take the Pledge to go Lights Out today by visiting birdallianceoregon.org.
For the lights you want to keep, make sure they are well chosen and properly installed. Select warm LED bulbs that are under a 3,000 Kelvin rating. Looking for good lighting? The International Dark-sky Association has a Fixture Seal of Approval program! Learn more here: darksky.org/what-we-do/darksky-approved/
Go Lights Out September 19th– October 19th
During peak migration weeks, from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m.:
- Be sure outside lights are aimed down and well shielded from the sky.
- Turn off non-essential lights – especially outside lights.
- Reprogram automatic lights to be off from 11 pm to 6 am.
- Have needed lights on motion sensors, when appropriate, so they are on only when needed.
- Turn off interior lights in unoccupied areas.
- Close blinds or curtains in rooms where lights are in use to prevent light escaping.
- Share the news about the “Lights Out” campaign.
Each light matters, and your commitment makes a difference.
Kepper Petzing has lived in Concordia for 42 years and has sadly seen the decrease in the number of birds in our neighborhood. Kepper is nonbinary. They love community and are grateful for Concordia News.