Dear Bird Town Leaders,
I hope all of you are doing well.
Here are 2 informative workshops about Lights, MIgration and Birds to learn more and share across your communities:
Although Global Migration Day was last Saturday, May 14, migration continues through May 31. Both of these workshops address how lights negatively impact birds and the overall nighttime ecosystem and also offer some solutions:
1. We’ve been invited by WeConservePA to join them for this upcoming workshop to be held virtually on Wednesday, July 20, 7PM – 8:15PM:
Register here: The Journey Back to the Stars: Limiting the Harmful Effects of Light Pollution
The night sky is getting brighter each year, obscuring the stars from our sight. Light pollution is the cause, the excessive, obtrusive, artificial light at night that prevents us from living under a sky bright with stars. It adversely affects human health and the entire nighttime ecosystem, and can produce unsafe glare and raises our carbon footprint by wasting energy. We can limit the disruption of wildlife across Pennsylvania and restore our environmental balance with a combination of education, technology, and ordinances. Join experts in the field to learn about the dark side of light and what steps can be taken to bring back the stars. Learn more about the Pennsylvania chapter of the International Dark-Sky Association: https://www.idapgh.org
2. To celebrate World Migratory Bird Day on May 11th, National Audubon Society held a presentation, Dim the Lights for Birds at Night. Please find links to the presentation below and many other sites to learn more.
Learn more here: World Migratory Bird Day 2022
The recording can be found here: World Migratory Bird Day website or YouTube channel. They shared that “bright lights and skyglow pose hazards and disruptions to billions of birds as they pass over populated areas along their already arduous migration journey. Audubon and partners throughout the hemisphere are working together to reduce light pollution to help these birds safely navigate the skies”. Here are some resources from the presentation:
- Learn more about Audubon’s Migratory Bird Initiative.
- Explore the interactive viewer of light pollution.
- Read about work of our Audubon Americas partners, including specific efforts in Chile.
- See lighting resources from the International Dark-Sky Association.
- Learn more about the important work of some of our partners in building awareness and implementing solutions, including the Environment for the Americas and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Urban Bird Treaty Program.
- Explore the U.S. Lights Out network and learn more about the issue of lights and ways to help, including a pledge to turn out your lights.
- Dive deeper into some of what we chatted about with our panelists online at Bird Safe Philly, the Coalition for Bird-Friendly Asheville and Lights Out in the Audubon Rockies region.
I hope you enjoy and please consider writing a Facebook Post or short article for your township/boro newsletters about this topic or even a proclamation or resolution!
Best wishes,
Heidi
Heidi Shiver
Bird Town Pennsylvania Working Group Chair
pabirdtown@gmail.com
215.262.7294 (cell)
birdtownpa.org