Billions of birds migrate across Texas, but many are killed in violent crashes against buildings and surfaces due to light pollution according to a Fort Worth Star Telegram article from November 30th, 2020. In it they say:
“Ben Jones is familiar with the numbers: More than a billion birds travel through Texas during the fall migration period in September and October, and millions of them die by crashing into buildings, particularly skyscrapers in Houston, Dallas and Fort Worth.
But the statistics hit home in a new way when the woodcocks, warblers and other migratory species were collected in front of him. Across 50 mornings in Dallas this fall, Jones, the executive director of the Texas Conservation Alliance, gathered with groups of volunteers to count 457 birds that had been killed after building collisions — a relatively low count compared to massive collision incidents in the past.”
This year, in an effort to save migratory birds’ lives, Dallas will be having a “light’s out” period to aid in this seasonal migration according to an NBC 5 DFW article from April 19th. In it they say:
“The City of Dallas has proclaimed the period between April 19 and May 7 as ‘Lights Out Nights’ in an effort to protect migratory birds.
According to a proclamation released by Mayor Eric Johnson, every spring and fall, nearly two billion birds travel through Texas.
This number represents between a quarter and a third of all birds migrating throughout the United States, and much of this migration occurs at night, Mayor Johnson said.”
Here’s hoping other Texas cities follow suite.
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