High Alert: Protect Migrating Birds by Turning Out Lights

September 29, 2025—Autumn bird migration is going full throttle and as part of Connecticut Audubon’s Bird-Friendly Fall, we want to remind you to turn out your lights at night to protect migrating birds.

Tonight, tomorrow night, and Wednesday night are High Alert nights for birds moving through the state, according to the Purdue AeroEco Lab’s migration forecast. Close to 3 million birds are expected to migrate through Connecticut over the next three nights.

Artificial lights from buildings, houses, and streets can disorient migrating birds, drawing them off course and toward buildings.

This confusion often leads to deadly collisions with windows in cities like Hartford, New Haven, and Stamford. Even a single brightly lit building can lure thousands of birds into harm’s way.

But it’s not just an urban problem. Most bird-building collisions occur at buildings less than 3 stories tall. Many of those, of course, are houses. So homeonwers have a role to play as well. 

The solution is simple: turn off unnecessary outdoor lights and close curtains or blinds to reduce indoor light. If you need to leave a light on for safety, use motion sensors or shielded fixtures that direct light downward. Every darkened light helps reduce risk for the birds passing overhead.

Well over 1 billion birds a year die in North America when they crash into buildings. You can help protect warblers, thrushes, sparrows, and other migratory species that are already facing steep population declines. 

Please join the effort to make Connecticut safer for migrating birds. Lights out tonight, tomorrow night, and Wednesday night can save countless lives and ensure the songs of spring return to our backyards.