Lights Out Niagara 2023
Join BON and Lights Out Niagara for a Media Event at Tifft Nature Preserve (front parking lot) 9:00am-9:30am Saturday May 13, 2023.
See our Media Advisory at the bottom of this page.
See our Media Advisory at the bottom of this page.
Lights Out Niagara
Saturday May 13 is World Migratory Bird Day 2023
Our international Niagara region is located in a critical and sensitive area for migrating birds. Many species of birds that migrate from as far away as South and Central America and travel to the arctic regions depend on this area for food and shelter during their long and perilous journeys. The Niagara region is so important to global and regional birds that the international Niagara River which includes Buffalo’s Outer Harbor, is a “Globally Significant Important Bird Area” just like the Galapagos, the Everglades, and Yellowstone National Park.
Saturday May 13 is World Migratory Bird Day 2023
Our international Niagara region is located in a critical and sensitive area for migrating birds. Many species of birds that migrate from as far away as South and Central America and travel to the arctic regions depend on this area for food and shelter during their long and perilous journeys. The Niagara region is so important to global and regional birds that the international Niagara River which includes Buffalo’s Outer Harbor, is a “Globally Significant Important Bird Area” just like the Galapagos, the Everglades, and Yellowstone National Park.
This year’s
Migratory Bird Day Conservation Theme Water: Sustaining Bird Life The Great Lakes Bioregion contains 20+% of the world's fresh surface water. The location of the Niagara River makes our area a very important and strategic place for migratory birds and the biodiversity that keeps them and all living things on our planet healthy.
Unfortunately development that includes industrialization and intense urbanization continues to provide threats to the well-being and health of migrating birds. Many of our most recognizable birds including Cardinals. Chickadees, Junco’s, and warblers are vanishing. Weather conditions including fog, lighting conditions that attract birds, and poorly located and designed buildings including windows that are not easily visible to flying birds, are lethal hazards. Birds, which are very sensitive to night time conditions navigate with starlight. Artificial lights cause birds to become disoriented and causes what is called Fatal Light Attraction. During migration season many streets in urban areas such as Buffalo are littered with the bodies of migrating birds. |
Each year during migration seasons up to a billion birds are killed with millions killed in in the Great Lakes region alone. These deaths are due to habitat loss and collisions with buildings and other obstructions. In general, bird populations are rapidly declining. More than 1 in 4 birds or almost 3 billion birds have disappeared in the last 50 years. Some familiar species have been reduced by up to 70% in our lifetimes with 2/3's of all bird species in the U.S. and Canada at risk of extinction.
Fortunately, many of these issues and obstacles can be addressed by adopting designs and policies that are bird and nature friendly.
Birds on the Niagara, Lights Out Niagara, and the various partners that we represent are advocating that municipalities and other government agencies in the region, and building owners and homeowners turn out the lights during the spring and fall migration seasons.
In addition we are advocating that the City of Buffalo and other municipalities in the international Niagara Region consider adopting bird friendly city policies such as have recently been adopted in New York City and Washington DC. This includes bird and nature friendly building designs and codes addressing outdoor lighting, glass, and other infrastructure concepts that promote the environment and quality of life for future generations.
Lights Out Initiative launched in New York to protect Migrating Birds
May 20, 2022 https://www.dec.ny.gov/press/125415.html In May of 2022 New York State, through the Department of Environmental Conservation, and the Office of General Services adopted a Bird Friendly, Lights Out policy that directs State-owned and managed buildings to turn off non-essential outdoor lighting from 11 p.m. to dawn during the spring migration April 15 through May 31 and also during the peak fall migration, August 15 through November 15. |
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BON23 Presentation by Alex Sidare at Burchfield Penny Art Center (FACEBOOK)
https://www.facebook.com/BirdsOnTheNiagara/videos/861401431599110 |
Lights Out and Bird Friendly City Resources
Fatal Light Awareness Canada
American Bird Conservancy How to Keep Birds from Hitting Windows
American Bird Conservancy Washington DC Bird Friendly Buildings Act
Fatal Light Awareness Canada
American Bird Conservancy How to Keep Birds from Hitting Windows
American Bird Conservancy Washington DC Bird Friendly Buildings Act