Aug 13 2009

Turn off a Light, Help Save a Bird

Posted by: Jennifer Zerwer

It's that time of year when migratory birds begin journeying to their winter homes. From August 15 through October 31, over 250 species of birds are expected to migrate through San Francisco along the Pacific Flyway, some traveling as much as 11,000 miles. Many birds migrate at night and can become confused by lights, particularly those on tall structures. It's thought that the lights on tall buildings affect the navigation of birds, causing them to collide with buildings or circle buildings repeatedly, suffer from exhaustion and die. Lights left on in tall buildings contribute to millions of bird deaths throughout the United States each year.

To help migratory birds safely make their way through San Francisco, the Golden Gate Audubon Society is teaming up again with PG&E and the San Francisco Department of the Environment to promote "Lights Out for Birds." With the start of another bird migration season (February to May and August to October), this program encourages tall building owners to review their nighttime lighting practices, including time clock and EMS settings, and make sure that non-essential, after-hours lighting is eliminated.

"We're very encouraged that the word is getting out about Lights Out for Birds since we launched this program in San Francisco last spring," said Noreen Weeden, conservation project manager for the Golden Gate Audubon Society. "Many migratory avian populations are already in significant decline, and this program will help make it safer for the millions of birds that are expected to travel through the Bay Area this season."

Lights Out for Birds has been successfully implemented in several cities, including New York, Chicago and Toronto, where participants help save energy and birds. In fact, one building operator reported a savings of $200,000 in 2006 alone. In addition to saving birds and money on energy bills, the reduced energy consumption decreases overall greenhouse gas emissions.

To learn more about how lights affect migrating birds, visit: http://www.flap.org/. 

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