Do This One Thing to Help Millions of Birds Migrate Safely Over Indiana

Nearly 22 million birds are expected to fly over the state of Indiana this week, and you can help them make the trip safely.

Massive Migration

Every spring and fall there is a massive migration as birds travel between the warmer and cooler climates of North America. The greatest migration period takes place in April, May, September, and October.

Millions of Birds on the Move

Part of that migration is taking place right now with millions of birds on the move, many of which are expected to fly over the state of Indiana. So why is this important and why should it matter to you? During this massive fall migration, a lot of the birds won't actually make it to their final destinations. They will die due to collisions with man-made structures.

Flying By the Light of the Moon

According to Bird Safe Indy, the birds use the light of the moon and stars to navigate their migration and the birds can become disoriented when they fly over urban areas with a lot of light pollution from buildings. Bird Safe Indy, and organization out of Indianapolis, says that the lights can cause the birds to become confused.

As Easy as Flipping a Switch

Fortunately, there is something you can do to help reduce the number of avian fatalities and it is as simple as flipping a switch.  By turning off your outside lights during the months of migration you can reduce the number of casualties. According to the National Audubon Society, here are some of the things you can do to help,

• Turn off exterior decorative lighting
• Extinguish pot and flood-lights
• Substitute strobe lighting wherever possible
• Reduce atrium lighting wherever possible
• Turn off interior lighting especially on higher stories

Protecting Birds Across the Nation

The National Audubon Society is an organization that works to protect birds and their habitats all across the country. To learn more visit Audubon.org.