Every fall, nearly two billion birds, including hummingbirds and shorebirds, migrate through Texas. But you may have missed them, because most of the North American birds actually travel at night. This can be dangerous because bright city lights can cause birds to have deadly collisions with buildings and other structures. So, how can we protect our precious birds?
What Causes Birds to Collide With Glass?
Glass on buildings is invisible to birds, but they’re still drawn to reflections in the glass. Sometimes the window reflections remind them of their own habitats, like when they see plants and the sky. Unfortunately, once birds collide with a building or another structure, they usually die from traumatic injuries. Last October, nearly 1,000 birds died in Chicago after colliding with the McCormick Place Lakeside Center.
What Can You Do?
Fall migration for birds lasts until Nov. 30. However, the peak season began on Sept. 5 and will run until Oct. 29. To protect the birds, homeowners, business owners, and others should turn off all non-essential lighting on homes, buildings and other structures from 11 p.m. - 6 a.m. Here are more ways you can help birds travel safely:
- Make sure to close your blinds at night.
- For security lighting, use motion detectors or sensors.
- For buildings taller than three stories, turn off or dim exterior or decorative lighting, such as logos or lighting in the lobby.
- Avoid floodlights, lit-up plants or fountains.
- Use desk lamps as opposed to overhead lights.
- You can also purchase bird safe glass, a type of glass visible to birds as they fly by.
Have other tips to protect our birds? Let me know.
