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Billions of birds die flying south for winter. Here’s how you can help
Manage episode 382071354 series 3488749
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People aren’t the only ones looking to avoid the cold this winter.
Birds are also looking for a warmer spot to settle down, but their journey is proving to be difficult.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimates up to 988 million crash into buildings every year and die.
The Audubon Society said that’s because the majority of them migrate at night, and are drawn in by city lights, rest among the trees and when they try to return to the sky they crash into windows.
“They see the sky in front of them and it’s actually a reflection of the sky in the glass and they fly towards it not knowing that it’s a death sentence and they hit the glass and they are either injured or killed by hitting the glass,” said Mike Taylor, the curator of herps, birds and others at Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens.
It’s not just skyscrapers in the city drawing birds back to earth, Elizabeth Filippelli with the Duval Audubon Society said residential house lights are too.
Lights Out Northeast Florida is asking people to take a few steps to help the birds make it safely to their destination.
The organization advises turning off non-essential lights between 11 p.m. - 6 a.m., direct lighting downward instead of upward into the sky, putting timers on outdoor lights and turning off interior lighting, especially on upper floors.
Birds migrate from Sept. 15 - Nov. 15. So, your actions over the next few days can have a lot of impact.
If you would like a closer look at what birds are migrating over your neighborhood just plug your county into the Birdcast Dashboard. A quick search of Orange County reveals 122,200 crossed the area and more than 1.1 million crossed our state in a single night.
To learn more about bird migration, the risks they face, and how you can help, check out Florida’s Fourth Estate. You can download the podcast from wherever you listen to podcasts or watch any time on the News 6+ App for your smart TV.
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