PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Philadelphia’s skyline will look a little different this spring.
Some skyscrapers have voluntarily decided to turn off or dim their lights at night to save migrating birds, which often crash into the bright buildings and windows.
On Oct. 2, in particular, hundreds of dead birds were found all over Center City.
“There were just dead birds all over downtown that have collided with buildings during migration,” said Keith Russell, program manager for Urban Conservation for Audubon Pennsylvania Mid-Atlantic. “It was a night that was very cloudy and it was raining much of the night.”
Birds don’t have the best visual cues, he explained. They usually rely on the stars or light to guide their flights. Up to 1 billion birds die each year by crashing into buildings and windows, as they are attracted to their bright artificial lights and glass at night.
To help reduce bird deaths, the organization is participating in the national Lights Out initiative. The effort is a coalition of nonprofits, including the city, local Audobon Society chapters, the Delaware Valley Ornithological Club and The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University.
Starting April 1 — the start of peak spring migration — skyscrapers and other buildings will voluntarily dim or turn off lights at night. The effort runs through May 31, when most migrating birds would have already passed through Philadelphia.
“Comcast is involved in this and various other organizations that occupy some of our biggest buildings downtown, and I think it’s very significant,” said Russell. “They can be leaders in raising awareness about this and encouraging other people to participate in this as well.”
And that includes homeowners, who are invited to participate in the program, too.
“That’s where we can really help move the dial to help these birds from these type of collisions,” he added.
Migration takes place again through Philadelphia between Aug. 15 and Nov. 15, when birds travel south.