Making Buckhead For The Birds
***Adam Betuel, Conservation Director – Atlanta Audubon Society***
Nothing connects us more to the natural world than birds. No matter the location, one can find birds and be transported by their amazing plumages, vocal repertoire, and their ability to fly. Unfortunately, life for birds is tough and only getting harder. One major threat to our birds that is often unknown or overlooked is that of buildings and the light they emit.
Current research estimates that up to one billion birds die annually from colliding with structures in the United States. This makes collisions the third leading cause of bird death in our country. Two primarily variables lead to these collisions – glass and lights. The proliferation of glass across our landscape is a relatively recent trend and something our birds do not know how to handle. Reflective surfaces confuse birds as they see habitat in the reflection and overly transparent panes are not perceived as a barrier but rather a flyway. Bright lights attract and disorient birds as they pass illuminated landscapes. Lights rarely lead to direct mortality but rather pull birds into areas where they encounter other threats like cars and walls of glass.
Bird-building collisions occur year round but the vast majority of these occur during spring and fall migration. Billions of birds each year undergo a mind-boggling journey between their breeding and wintering grounds. In search of food and other resources, our feather friends sometimes travel from northern forests all the way to the southern tip of South America. The smallest bird in Atlanta, the Ruby-throated Hummingbird, will travel all the way down to Costa Rica and will cross the Gulf of Mexico on a multi-day nonstop flight! As these birds migrate, many fly at night. Calmer air, cooler temps, and less predators make this a smart strategy. These nocturnal movements is when an individual is attracted to areas like Buckhead by those bright lights. After daybreak, the maze of glass is often too difficult for our birds to navigate, leading to a collision.
Fortunately, birds and buildings can coexist. There are many ways to make a structure bird-friendly. A logical first step is to reduce your lighting as part of our Lights Out campaign. We at the Atlanta Audubon Society are asking residential and commercial properties to pledge to extinguish as much light as possible, make sure timers and motion sensors are being utilized, that spotlights and other decorative lighting be turned off, and other responsible steps be taken during spring and fall. These steps not only help our birds but save energy costs and align with many building sustainability plans.
We at Atlanta Audubon are building places were birds and people thrive. A reasonable and easy way to works towards this is to reduce our lighting. Birds are pollinators, spread seeds, act as our natural cleaning crews, and provide a massive boost to our economy. They are vital for all of us and by reducing our lighting, we can give them the helping hand they need on their biannual migrations.
About the Atlanta Audubon Society: Atlanta Audubon Society is a member-supported, non-profit organization dedicated to building places where birds and people thrive. They are a thriving, bird-focused organization that combines serious conservation, education, and advocacy with activities that build community and foster the joy of birding.
Atlanta Audubon serves all 20 metro Atlanta counties and areas of North Georgia. They engage across the state in collaboration with other groups that share our mission. They speak for the birds to create a public policy focus on conservation of birds and their habitats. With a committed staff, a focused board, and a flock of talented volunteers, Atlanta Audubon strives to share their passion with others to connect people with nature and to inspire everyone to be stewards of birds and the environment.
