The specifics
According to a news release, the effort is part of the Lights Out educational campaign. Each year, hundreds of millions of birds migrate through Texas and are subject to light pollution.
The news release states that residents and business owners are encouraged to turn off non-essential lights from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. during the following migration periods:
- Fall migration - Aug. 15 - Nov. 30
- Critical peak migration - Oct. 14 - Nov. 17
The news release states the fall migration is one of the largest on Earth and occurs primarily at night. Light pollution—especially in urban areas—can hurt migrating birds in the following ways:
- Attracting and disorienting them
- Confusing and exhausting them
- Making them more vulnerable to collisions with buildings
Bird lovers can monitor how many migratory birds will be flying through the greater Fort Worth area by visiting the BirdCast website.
