Among the species at risk are white-throated sparrows, common yellowthroats (above) and ovenbirds.Beginning September 1 and for the next two months, the night skyline of “the city that never sleeps” is taking on a new look thanks to the fifth annual Lights Out New York — and it’s all for the birds.
From midnight until dawn, owners of tall buildings are encouraged to dim the lights in an effort to save night-migrating birds as they make their fall journeys through the city to and from their breeding grounds.
NYC Audubon, which organizes the event, estimates that 90,000 migrating birds are killed each from flying into glass because the bright lights of illuminated buildings confuse their sense of navigation.
Participating are some well-known addresses, such as the Chrysler Building, Rockefeller Center, 601 Lexington (formerly known as Citigroup Center), and Time Warner Center among others.
Taking part is simple. During peak migration season, September 1 through November 1, owners are asked to:
- Turn off lights at night on unoccupied floors and in unused space
- Where possible, close blinds between midnight and dawn
- While working late, turn off ceiling lights and use task lighting
- Report bird collisions to NYC Audubon at 212-691-7483
New York’s Lights Out program joins similar initiatives in other cities, such as Toronto where the Fatal Light Awareness Program brought attention to the risk birds face from bright lights as far back as 1993, and Chicago, where about 100 downtown buildings participate in a six-month program.
Of course, these program not only save birds, they also save energy.
NYC Audubon notes that, “For a building with 2.5 million square feet of floor space, turning off the lights after midnight would conserve more than 750,000 kilowatts and save approximately $120,000 this fall.”
Also sponsoring the event are the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, Building Owners and Managers Association of New York and the Real Estate Board of New York.
