FLAP stands for Fatal Light Awareness Program. This program is drawing attention to hazards posed to birds by brightly lit buildings and other structures. This problem is particularly acute during migration when millions of birds move from nesting areas to overwintering sites.
Birds have been finely tuned by generations of migration to navigate by the moon and stars. The glow produced by brightly lit buildings and cities can disorient migrants. Artificial lights might attract birds into urban areas, where they can become exhausted by flitting about the lights or end up colliding with a building. Millions of birds die in collisions every year. As a result of educational campaigns by caring citizens such as yourself, more cities are adopting measures to reduce or eliminate lighting during peak migration periods.
In many cases, this is just a few weeks each spring and fall. It might result in considerable energy savings for the building owners.
The key, of course, is education. Visit the FLAP website for its easy-to-understand educational materials. Consider sharing these with building managers at local facilities. A letter to the newspaper editor might catch the attention of important landlords in your area.
No one wants to find dead birds on the sidewalk after a big night of migration. The simple act of dousing a light could be the most important action that you take for the birds this year.
Wildbird Magazine, March/April 2008
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