Bird Friendly Buildings

Lights Out Harrisburg starts on April 1st and runs through May 31st and then restarts on August 15th and runs through November 15th.

Committed partners of the Lights Out Harrisburg Coalition will be turning off (and/or dimming) exterior and interior lights during the migratory season's overnight hours (12 a.m. - 6 a.m.). Using lighting controls, education, and manually ensuring lights are dimmed and turned off will help reduce bird collisions and save countless migratory bird lives each year.

From April 1 - May 31 and August 15 - November 15, consider turning off unnecessary lights between midnight and 6 a.m. Your enthusiastic support of Lights Out Harrisburg will be much appreciated.

Lights Out

Photo by Michael Yatsko

THe Issue

Every year, billions of birds migrate north in the spring and south in the fall, the majority of them flying at night, navigating with the night sky. However, as they pass over big cities on their way, they can become disoriented by bright artificial lights and skyglow, often causing them to collide with buildings or windows. 

While lights can throw birds off their migration paths, bird fatalities are more directly caused by the amount of energy the birds waste flying around and calling out in confusion. The exhaustion can then leave them vulnerable to other urban threats. 

Lights Out began in Pennsylvania in Philadelphia after a bird mass casualty event, learn more: Philadelphia has dimmed its skyline after a 'mass collision' killed thousands of migrating birds | CNN

The SOlution

Lights Out is a voluntary program that involves turning off and minimizing external and internal building lights at night, during spring and fall migration, to reduce the risk of bird collisions.

Help minimize light pollution during peak migration to help birds navigate as the make the trek to their breeding or wintering grounds.

What Can You do?

Contribute to Lights Out

  • Turn off exterior decorative lighting

  • Extinguish pot and flood-lights

  • Substitute strobe lighting wherever possible

  • Reduce atrium lighting wherever possible

  • Turn off interior lighting especially on higher stories

  • Substitute task and area lighting for workers staying late or pull window coverings

  • Down-shield exterior lighting to eliminate horizontal glare and all light directed upward

  • Install automatic motion sensors and controls wherever possible

  • When converting to new lighting, assess quality and quantity of light needed, avoiding over-lighting with newer, brighter technology

Committed partners of the Lights Out Harrisburg Coalition will be turning off (and/or dimming) exterior and interior lights during the migratory season's overnight hours (12 a.m. - 6 a.m.). Using lighting controls, education, and manually ensuring lights are dimmed and turned off will help reduce bird collisions and save countless migratory bird lives each year.

From April 1 - May 31 and August 15 - November 15, consider turning off unnecessary lights between midnight and 6 a.m. Your enthusiastic support of Lights Out Harrisburg will be much appreciated.

Anyone can participate, building owners, residents, or municipalities.

 

Lights Out Helps Other Wildlife

Light pollution is a driver of insect declines - ScienceDirect

Lights Out Harrisburg is the result of a collaborative effort led by PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, PA Department of General Services, PA Game Commission, Harristown, Harrisburg Downtown Improvement District, Appalachian Audubon Society, National Audubon Society, Wyncote Audubon Society & West Shore Wildlife Center.

Learn more about Lights Out Programs across the nation here