Lights Out for Birds
Why Lights Out?
Most birds migrate at night and can be drawn off course by tall, lighted structures in their flight path. Scientists aren’t sure why this happens but it may be related to the fact that among many navigational cues, birds use the stars to stay on course. Lighted skyscrapers may simply confuse them. Once in among the lights, birds seem reluctant to fly out. Sometimes they strike buildings or rooftop structures outright. Sometimes they continue flying in circles around the lighted buildings until they drop to the rooftop or the ground from exhaustion. Lights Out programs can dramatically reduce these collisions.
Over 250 species migrate through San Francisco Bay, many of them small songbirds such as warblers, thrushes, tanagers and sparrows that migrate at night. Some of these are threatened species whose populations already show steep declines. Ironically, common city birds such as Rock Pigeons and House Sparrows are infrequent collision victims. This may be due to these species’ adaptations for living among buildings.
Other Lights Out benefits
In addition to saving birds, Lights Out programs save a considerable amount of energy and reduce pollution by reducing carbon dioxide emissions. The savings for a building can be significant. One participating municipal building in the Toronto Lights Out program reported savings of more than $200,000 in 2006.
How does Lights Out work?
Lights Out is a voluntary program where building owners, managers and tenants work together to ensure that any and all unnecessary lighting is turned off during Lights Out dates and times. Your San Francisco Department of the Environment representative or Pacific Gas & Electric representative can assist you with recommendations and rebate opportunities if equipment like timers or motion detectors are needed.
Lights Out dates and times
The spring migration is February 15th through May 31st, and the fall migration is August 15th through October 31st. Please turn off unnecessary lights after dusk and until dawn. If inside lights are needed, please close the blinds or drapes.
Print and post our flyer Lights Out for Birds spring, 2010 at the building where you work. click here
Read our press release on Lights Out for Birds spring, 2010 click here
Participants:
- 101 California Street, San Francisco
- Allsteel Inc., San Francisco
- Barker Pacific Group, Inc. San Francisco
- New Resource Bank, San Francisco
- Pacific Gas & Electric Company, San Francisco
- San Francisco Department of the Environment, San Francisco
- Tishman Speyer, San Francisco