Most birds migrate at night and can be drawn off course by lighted structures in their flight path. Many birds are killed or injured in collisions with buildings or drop from exhaustion after circling them, reluctant to fly out of the light. Lights Out programs can dramatically reduce these collisions.
How to Participate:
- Turn off exterior decorative lighting (security lights should be left on as needed for safety)
- Dim lobby and atrium lighting
- Turn off interior lights – especially upper floors
When:
Between midnight and dawn during bird migration seasons:
- Fall: from August 15 to October 31
- Spring: from March 15 to May 31
FAQ
Won’t a darkened city be unsafe?
Lights Out cities don’t go completely dark by any means. Lights Out focuses on dimming or extinguishing extraneous lights coming from buildings, particularly in the upper stories. This includes the bright, decorative lighting that defines the building top, as well as interior office lights that aren’t being used. Street-level lights, though preferably down-shielded, and airplane warning lights are not affected.
While many buildings may choose to alter their lighting practices year round, Lights Out for birds is technically in effect during key migration periods late at night. This usually means about 10 weeks in spring and 10 more in the fall, between the hours of midnight and daylight.
How do we know that dimming or turning off lights can help?
Turning off unnecessary lights in buildings has been shown to reduce the number of birds attracted to or confused by illumination. Since Chicago buildings began dimming or turning off lights, many more birds are navigating through the city successfully. In fact, at one building where records have been kept for many years, mortality decreased by 80 percent when lights were turned off. More and more cities are starting programs and also compiling data on bird mortality.
What do building owners get out of participating?
A Lights Out program leads to real energy savings, which translates directly to real cost savings. Participating buildings save birds, save money and save energy while reducing carbon emissions. Many buildings are also interested in certification through the LEED system — a “green” rating system for buildings, indicating Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. Building owners, managers, employees and tenants also take pride in their participation in Lights Out. There is really no downside to Lights Out.
How You Can Help
