One morning in May 2017, dozens of bird carcasses lined the ground outside a 23-story tower in Galveston. After traveling hundreds of miles across the Gulf of Mexico, 395 migratory birds had died when they fell into the skyscraper.
KHOU 11 reported at the time that a combination of bad weather and light pollution resulted in the death of the birds. But the horrific event ultimately helped spur a new campaign: Lights Out Texas.
Most birds migrate at night, said Taylor Keys, the program manager at Texan by Nature, which leads the nationwide effort in collaboration with other organizations. The “Lights Out” campaign calls on Texans to turn off unimportant lights between 11:00 pm and 6:00 am during the spring and autumn migration periods.
“Birds that migrate at night use the stars to orient themselves and move through the night sky,” said Keys. “There’s a lot of light from cities, not just from businesses, but from homes and so on, so the light can confuse birds while they use the stars to wander.”
Although the critical migratory season for migratory birds lasts from September 5th to October 29th, the full autumn migration season extends to November 30th.
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Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson said in a tweet last month that he had issued a proclamation to encourage residents to turn off alien lights. In it, he notes that nearly 2 billion birds fly through Texas each spring and fall, making up to a third of all birds that roam the country.
In a study of 125 American cities, Dallas ranked third for light pollution from migratory birds. At the same time, Dallas was named one of the seven “Bird City” parishes of Texas.
Light pollution threatens the migration of birds, especially in large metropolitan areas. To raise awareness, I proclaimed from September 27th to October 10th. 17 as #LightsOutNights in Dallas, and I’m joining @laurawbush to encourage residents to turn off unnecessary lights. #LightsOutDallas #LightsOutTexas pic.twitter.com/NeErq5gp9o
– Mayor Eric Johnson (@ Johnson4Dallas) September 24, 2021 Dallas’ lights have claimed their fair share of birds, which includes 73 species over the past year, according to D Magazine. Last fall, 457 bird deaths were reported in the city center. But in the spring, when 23 buildings darkened, the number dropped to 233 deaths.
Up to a billion birds are killed each year in the United States after they hit windows and walls, according to the Texas Conservation Alliance, which, along with the Dallas Zoo and the Perot Museum helped lead the Dallas-Fort Worth campaign have hit.
Bird populations in the United States have declined significantly since 1970, and have lost one in four birds, according to the BirdCast website. The Lone Star State not only promotes the ecology of the earth, but also bird watching. Nature tourism in the Rio Grande Valley brings in $ 300 million annually in the economy.
“[Birds] have no predictions like we do. “- Jim Bednarz, Senior Lecturer at the University of North Texas
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Research into how light pollution affects migratory birds is still in its infancy, said Jim Bednarz, senior lecturer in the biological sciences department at the University of North Texas. Still, anecdotal evidence suggests that bird carcasses appear to cluster around large buildings.
Over the course of millions of years, birds have evolved to travel at night because the atmosphere tends to be more stable and they can avoid “predator pressure”. Birds are attracted to light, and artificial birds turned on at night are confusing to creatures because they are evolutionary novelty.
As with the Galveston Bird Collision, poor weather conditions can cause birds to change course, he said. They use the stars to navigate, so clouds and rainfall can cause them to drop in altitude.
“They don’t have any predictions like we do,” said Bednarz.
Birds also do a tremendous environmental service in controlling insects, he said. If the populations of birds, lizards, turtles, and bats continue to decline, it will create pest problems.
In addition, Keys said that some birds can act as pollinators.
Texans who want to support their safe migration can stick to the campaign year round, she said. They can point their lights down and use motion sensors and warmer lights. Anyone who owns buildings and houses can also learn to make their glass more bird-friendly.
It is also in people’s self-interest to protect their winged friends, added Bednarz: “[Birds are] important for their diverse functions in the ecosystem, on which we also depend for our survival. ”
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