Bird Safety / Lights Out

Birds killed by building collisions in downtown Winston-Salem.
Common Yellowthroat (center) is one of the most common victims of building collisions.
Photo by David Disher.
Hermit Thrushes are particularly susceptible to building collisions. Cape May and Yellow-throated are among 15 warbler species killed by collisions in Winston-Salem so far. Photo by David Disher

Every spring and fall, millions of birds journey along the Atlantic Flyway north to breeding grounds and back south to their winter homes. Most birds migrate at night. For millions of years, the moon and stars have helped them find their way. For just 100 years, artificial light, especially from cities, has steered them off course. Artificial lights attract and disorient birds, leading to collisions with buildings. Collisions kill anywhere from 100 million to 1 billion birds a year in the United States.

Chicago and New York have led the way in darkening their night skies for migrating birds. Research in Chicago documented an 83-percent reduction in bird collisions when the lights were turned out. This problem is not limited to large cities: during morning surveys of 13 downtown Winston-Salem buildings, Audubon volunteers found 50 dead and injured birds in a single month during fall 2011. Our city is taking action with Lights Out Winston-Salem, started by Forsyth Audubon and Audubon North Carolina in spring 2012. So far seven buildings have signed on to participate by turning off nonessential exterior and interior lighting after 11 p.m. during spring and fall migration. Much thanks to: 500 West Fifth Street, BB&T, Liberty Plaza, Reynolds American, The Cardinal Hotel, Wells Fargo, Winston Tower.

The fall lights out period is September 10-November 30. The spring lights out period is March 15-May 31.




Become part of the solution:

Ovenbird Rescued and Released – Wendy Hawkins photo
See our brochure here
  • Turn out the lights when you leave your office for the day and ask your employer to turn out the lights during spring and fall migration.
  • Volunteer to monitor downtown buildings for injured/dead birds during migration: Contact [email protected] for more information.
  • If you are a building owner of manager, join your neighbors listed above and participate in Lights Out Winston-Salem. Click on this link for a letter in .pdf format: Invitation to building owners/managers.


Learn what you can do at home to keep birds from hitting your windows:


For architects and designers

Our Winston-Salem Lights Out program was featured in Yes, Weekly’s “Window Pain.”