An estimated 988 million birds in the US die from these type of crashes. The bright lights of Salt lake City draw them into the urban environment where many collide with glass windows. According to Utah State University, an estimated 3.5 billion birds cross the US/Mexican border as they migrate north to their breeding grounds. Salt Lake City, Utah celebrates an annual Lights Out Salt Lake event that takes place during the spring bird migration. Part of the solution to light pollution is for cities, like St Louis, to dim lights during migration phases in the spring and fall. “Many nocturnally migrating birds such as ducks, geese, plovers, sandpipers, and songbirds are affected by light pollution causing disorientation and collisions with fatal consequences,” said Jacques Trouvilliez, executive secretary of the UN African-Eurasian Waterbird Agreement (AEWA). That’s because light pollution can cause birds to change their traditional migration routes and results in the birds being disorientated and flying towards the city lights. More than 80 percent of the world’s population currently lives under a lit sky but the figures are closer to 99 percent in Europe and the US.Īrtificial light alters the natural patterns of light and dark and contributes to the death of millions of birds worldwide every year. Light pollution is continuing to increase and grows 2.2 percent a year, according to a news report from the United Nations.
after the majority of the North American songbirds and waterfowl have passed. The lights out program began in 2002, reported KSDK. As migration patterns have changed, this year the park will extend the lights off for the entire month of May.”
“For over a decade Gateway Arch’s exterior lights have been turned off for two weeks each May and September to help minimize the possible disorienting effect the lights may have on birds that migrate at night. Louis sits right beneath the Mississippi Flyway, a major migration highway,” Jeremy Sweat, superintendent of Gateway Arch National Park said in the press release. The National Park Service(NPS) partners with Lights Out Heartland to provide safe passage through the Mississippi flyway during the two high intensity migration times during the year, according to a NPS press release.
That’s because the exterior lights of St Louis's Gateway Arch go dark in May due to the spring bird migration system and has for several years. The St Louis, Missouri skyline looks different this time of year. Lights Off at St Louis's Gateway Arch to Help Migrating Birds | Providing safe passage through the Mississippi flyway
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