Migratory birds (Pixabay photo)
Birds fly hundreds of kilometers to find the perfect place that offers abundant food sources, safer habitats, and breeding sites. If something, like light, will change their flight, it can make them land in a place that can threaten their lives.
“Dim the lights for birds at night” – the theme of World Migratory Bird Day 2022 observed twice a year – on the second Saturday of May and October –focused on making people aware of how lights can affect migratory birds.
Light pollution, the result of excessive or inappropriate use of artificial light outdoors, affects wildlife behavior, the National Geographic Society website said. That includes migratory birds that fly at night for safer flight.
According to United Nations (UN) News online, artificial lights at night attract migrating birds, especially when the clouds come down low, there is fog, rain, or even when flying in lower altitudes.
When this happens, birds are lured to cities that would threaten their health and lives.
Artificial light increases by at least two percent a day globally. As light pollution increases gradually, UN News said it changes the birds’ migration patterns, “foraging behaviors,” and vocal communication.
Moreover, it can result in disorientation and collision of birds. They may end up going around in lighted areas, which can lead to exhaustion or death.
Artificial light is produced by non-natural means (not the sun) or electrical means. According to CK-12 Foundation, a California-based non-profit organization, the five types of artificial light are incandescent light, fluorescent light, neon light, vapor light, and led light.
The migratorybirdday.org website recommends ways to help migratory birds have a safe
flight:
● Use a “little” light outside of the home or business site.
● Use warm light, it has a lower number of light colors.
● Point lights to the ground and use shields to avoid light spills.
● Promote lights that are bird-friendly and have less light pollution in the community.
● Measure night sky brightness.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) urged the public to join in
the observance of the global campaign and raise awareness to conserve migratory birds.
The observance of the day started as an annual celebration in Kenya in April 2006, emphasizing the need to conserve migratory birds and their habitats, initiated by the African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds and Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals.
International Migratory Bird Day was created in 1993 by the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center.
In 2018, the World Migratory Bird Day and International Migratory Bird Day became one global campaign and adopted the name World Migratory Bird Day. (Alexa Basa)