Artificial Light at Night
Turning off artificial nighttime lighting helps protect night-migrating birds, keeping them on their natural migration paths. Photo: John Deguzman
The threat of artificial light
- Millions of birds pass through New York City each spring and fall migration, relying on natural light cues for navigation, communication, and reproduction.
- Artificial light pollution disturbs these cues, reorienting birds' pathways and drawing them into our dangerous urban environment.
- As birds stop to rest and refuel, they encounter glass windows and facades that reflect sky and habitat. An estimated quarter of a million birds die from window collisions in NYC each year.
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NYC Bird Alliance staff join the 2023 Lights Out rally outside City Hall.
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Kathy Nizzari, Christian Cooper, Councilmember Erik Bottcher, and NYC Bird Alliance Executive Director Jessica Wilson at a Lights Out Rally. Photo: Denise Kelly
The Lights Out Coalition and NYC Bird Alliance fight for Lights Out legislation to protect migratory birds. Photo: Denise Kelly


