Turn Out Your Lights in the Spring and Fall to Protect Migrating Birds
The Louisiana Wildlife Federation (LWF) is calling on residents and businesses throughout the state to join others in turning off bright or excess lighting from 11 p.m. until 6 a.m. each day during the peak spring (April 1 - May 31) and fall (August 15 - October 31) migrations to help protect the billions of migratory birds that fly through Louisiana at night during this period.
Louisiana sits within the Mississippi Flyway migratory path, with the state’s vast wetlands, forests, and coastline serving as critical stops along the birds’ migration routes. Twice a year, 325 bird species travel the Mississippi Flyway, including 40% of shorebirds. During the 2023 fall migration, an estimated 500 million birds migrated through the state of Louisiana. The majority of those birds migrate at night and typically start their nightly migration about 30 to 45 minutes post-sunset, with peak flights between 10 and 11 p.m.
While the dark skies allow the migratory birds to avoid predators, take advantage of calmer air and utilize the moon and stars for navigation, it also brings with it other dangers such as bright artificial lights and the skyglow from larger cities that can confuse the birds, often causing them to fatally collide into buildings or windows.
Lights Out Initiative should follow these guidelines:
- Turn off non-essential lights nightly from 11:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. during the migration period.
- Avoid using landscape lighting on trees or gardens where birds may be resting.
- For essential security and safety lighting, use these dark skies-friendly lighting adjustments:
- Aim lights downwards.
- Use light shields to direct light downwards and prevent an upward glare.
- Use motion detectors and sensors so lights turn on when needed.
- Close blinds at night to limit the amount of light seen through windows.
For building owners/managers:
- Adjust custodial schedules to be completed by 11:00 p.m.
- Ensure lights are turned off after custodial cleaning.
Additional Guidelines for Buildings Over 3 Stories
Dim or turn off:
-
- Exterior/decorative lighting.
- Lobby/atrium lights.
- Perimeter room lights on all levels.
- Floodlights.
- Lighting on interior plants/fountains.
- Lights on vacant floors.
- Lights with blue-rich white light emissions (over 3000 K in color temperature.)
- Instead use:
- Desk lamps or task lights instead of overhead lights.
- “Warm-white” or filtered LEDs outdoors (less than 3000 K in color temperature.)
