New York Urging Residents To Turn Off Lights At Night

New York State wants you to turn off your lights. It could save lives. Here's why.

This simple task could actually save thousands of lives, according to the New York officials

New York State Asking Residents To Turn Off Lights At Night

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The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and Office of General Services (OGS) are reminding New Yorkers that they can protect migrating birds as they navigate night skies by participating in the ‘Lights Out’ initiative.

The national Lights Out initiative runs during the spring migration from April 15th through May 31st, and again during peak fall migration from August 15th through November 15th.

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Officials say the simple task of turning off non-essential outdoor lights at night during bird migration season will save thousands of birds.

“The national Lights Out initiative is a simple way we can help make the spring migration more successful in caring for the long-term well-being of our avian visitors and the important roles all birds play in healthy ecosystems,” DEC Commissioner Amanda Lefton stated

Why New Yorkers Should Turn Off the Lights

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Many birds rely on constellations to navigate during their nighttime migration. Artificial light, especially during bad weather, can disorient them in a phenomenon researchers call fatal light attraction, causing birds to fly into windows, walls, floodlights, and even the ground.

“NYC Bird Alliance research shows artificial light contributes to hundreds of thousands of bird deaths in New York City every year. Turning off lights saves birds, saves money, and makes New York a more livable environment for people. We're proud to see New York State leading by example and protecting birds across its incredible environments," NYC Bird Alliance Director of Conservation and Science, Dr. Dustin Patridge said.

When To Turn Off Your Lights

Photo by Beer Drinker on Unsplash

The National Audubon Society says a single building can disorient and kill hundreds of birds in one night. But, by turning your lights off between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m., you can help drastically reduce that number, officials say.

"The fix is remarkably straightforward. By turning off lights between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m., we can dramatically reduce the number of birds lost to collisions each year," National Audubon Society in New York Vice President Michael Burger said. “Every spring, an incredible phenomenon unfolds above us — millions of birds navigating invisible flyways through New York's night skies. Yet for many, that journey ends tragically due to something all-too visible: light pollution. A single building can disorient and kill hundreds of birds in one night."