It’s estimated that almost one billion birds across the country crash into glass every year, and our feathered friends passing through Philly are no exception.
Why? Birds aren’t as good at recognizing glass as humans are, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. They might see reflections of the sky or some trees in windows and think that’s what they’re flying toward, or they might get confused by artificial light. Next thing you know, they’re flying straight into the glass, which can lead to injuries or even death.
So as we near the autumn migration season, the “Lights Out Philly” initiative is trying to reduce the number of birds who meet untimely fates via window or glass building strike. The program aims to do this by reducing artificial light at night during migration season, when birds are most vulnerable to collisions.
The program — launched in 2021 by a coalition of local organizations called “Bird Safe Philly” — asks commercial building owners and residents to voluntarily turn off all unnecessary indoor and outdoor lighting between midnight and 6 a.m., Aug. 15 through Nov. 15.
That means flood lights and decorative lights, plus interior lights near windows. If you need to use indoor lighting past midnight, Bird Safe Philly recommends making sure your blinds and shades are drawn.
To get a sense of the program’s impact, volunteers monitor the areas around certain buildings for dead and injured birds. The preliminary results from the first few years of the Lights Out Philly program have been promising, according to organizers — for example, one Center City building saw a 70% drop in autumn bird deaths after two years. Still, though, it will take more time and data collection to understand the initiative’s broader impact.
🐦 Interested in getting involved? Bird Safe Philly is looking for volunteers for the fall migration season.
