Each fall, an estimated 500 million migratory birds pass through Louisiana at night along the Mississippi Flyway. Most navigate by the light of the moon and stars, but bright city lights from tall buildings can disorient them, often leading to fatal collisions.
That’s why the Louisiana Wildlife Federation is calling on building owners, businesses, and residents to take part in their Lights Out Louisiana initiative to turn off or dim non-essential lights during peak migration hours. Doing so will help birds navigate safely.
Here's what to do:
- Turn off unnecessary lights nightly from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. during migration season.
- Be mindful of exterior lighting: avoid landscape lighting on trees and gardens where birds rest, and close blinds at night to reduce glow from windows.
- For essential safety lighting, make simple adjustments: aim lights downward, add shields to reduce glare, and use motion sensors so lights are only on when needed.
- For larger buildings (over three stories): dim or shut down decorative lighting, lobby/atrium lights, vacant floor lighting, floodlights, and any bright blue-white bulbs. Where possible, swap in warmer LEDs (<3000 K) and use desk/task lighting instead of overhead lights.
If you want to keep up with mirgration BirdCast, a migration forecasting tool, this season. The tool will forecast migration, so you can keep up with expected heavy traffic from feathered friends.
For more information about Lights Out Louisiana, click here.
