Millions of birds pass through Connecticut every spring and fall on their way to and from their summer nesting grounds. Because our state is located along the Atlantic Flyway, many birds use our shorelines and green spaces to rest and refuel during their trip. Some also stay for the summer.
Most migrating birds pass through Connecticut at night. Generally, nighttime hours are calmer and safer for migrants. Temperatures are cooler, skies are less turbulent, and predators are less active. Landing at daybreak allows for optimal foraging, as insects become active. And many scientists believe that birds navigate by the light of the moon and stars.
Birds killed by Yale University’s Evans Hall in fall 2019 at the Yale Peabody Museum. Photo: Viveca Morris
But light pollution has wreaked havoc on our night sky. Artificial light emitted by buildings, street lights, bridges, and other structures can confuse and disorient birds, causing them to land near buildings, crash into windows, and/or circle around for hours until they drop from exhaustion. This can be made worse by weather patterns that force them to fly lower, closer to buildings.
The result is catastrophic: Nearly 1 billion bird deaths in North America each year.
Do not despair! There is something we can do to mitigate this problem.
Craig Repasz will tell us about a new project of the Connecticut Ornithological Association to mobilize a community of residents, property owners, businesses, nonprofits, and officials in Connecticut to work together to protect migratory birds by reducing artificial light during peak periods of bird migration. Learn more about the problem, how cities and states across the country are working to help birds survive their migration, and what we can do in Connecticut.
Craig is serving his second term as the COA Conservation Committee Chair. He has served as past president for the New Haven Bird Club and is currently their Outdoor Program Chair. He has been the volunteer coordinator for the Connecticut Bird Atlas for five years. He is also the President of the Friends of Stewart B McKinney NWR, an organization devoted to supporting this important refuge. He enjoys backpacking and conducts Mountain Birdwatch surveys for the Vermont Center of Ecostudies, focusing on the Bicknell’s Thrush and other high elevation species.