Audubon Texas is calling on communities across the state to participate in its Lights Out, Texas! initiative aimed at reducing light pollution to protect billions of migratory birds that pass through the region each year.
The campaign, facilitated by Audubon Texas in partnership with conservation groups, universities and local governments, focuses on raising awareness and taking action to keep nighttime skies darker during peak bird migration seasons in spring and fall.
PHOTO CREDIT: AUDUBON TEXAS
Texas lies along one of North America’s major migration corridors. As many as one in three birds migrating through the United States in spring and one in four in fall travel through the state and specifically Southeast Texas, meaning nearly two billion birds can be affected by light pollution each year, Audubon Texas said.
Artificial light at night can disorient birds traveling at high altitudes, increasing the risk that they will collide with buildings and windows, a leading cause of bird mortality. Experts estimate collisions with man-made structures kill hundreds of millions of birds annually.
Audubon Texas encourages residents and business owners to turn off nonessential lights from around 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. during migration periods and to adopt dark-skies-friendly lighting practices such as shielding exterior lights and using lower-temperature bulbs.
The initiative also provides educational resources, including a curriculum for grades 3–8 designed to teach students about bird migration and the impacts of light pollution, and toolkits with tips for citizens and organizations to get involved.
Audubon Texas’ statewide effort builds on earlier locally led campaigns dating back to 2017, when Houston Audubon and partners first launched a Lights Out program after a large bird collision event in Galveston.
For more information on how to participate or access resources, Audubon Texas directs readers to its website at tx.audubon.org.