Turn Off the Lights to Help Migrating Birds this Spring

Every spring and fall, millions of birds migrate across Georgia under the cover of darkness. But our night skies are getting brighter. Artificial light from cities and buildings can confuse migrating birds, causing them to become disoriented and collide with glass structures. Light pollution can also disrupt birds’ internal clocks and interfere with their long-distance migrations.

To help reduce these risks, Birds Georgia sends Lights Out Alerts during peak migration nights each spring and fall. These alerts (usually eight to ten nights per season) remind people to reduce or turn off unnecessary lighting to help birds travel safely.

Spring Migration: March 15 to May 31

The spring migration period begins March 15, and we encourage everyone to reduce or eliminate outdoor lighting through May 31 whenever possible.

If turning off lights for the entire migration period isn’t feasible, please reduce lighting on peak migration nights announced through our Lights Out email and social media alerts (Follow us on Facebook | Instagram ).

Simple Steps to Help Migrating Birds

On peak migration nights, small changes can make a big difference:

• Turn off outdoor lights when possible, especially between midnight and 6:00 AM.
• Use fully shielded fixtures that direct light downward.
• Install dimmers, timers, or motion sensors so lights are only on when needed.
• Choose warm LED bulbs (3,000 Kelvins or lower).
• Close blinds or curtains at night during migration to reduce indoor light escaping through windows.
  
  

You can learn more about reducing bird-building collisions and sign the Lights Out pledge on our Lights Out Georgia page.

Studying Bird-Building Collisions in Georgia

This spring marks the 11th year of Project Safe Flight, a research initiative led by Birds Georgia to document bird-building collisions across the state.

Since launching in 2015, volunteers have collected data from more than 6,000 birds representing 141 species that died after colliding with buildings.

In 2023, the project expanded to coastal Georgia with monitoring routes in Savannah and Brunswick, while continuing established routes in metro Atlanta.

In Spring 2025, Ruby-throated Hummingbirds were the most commonly collected species; In Fall 2025, Tennessee Warblers surpassed Ruby-throated Hummingbirds as our most commonly collected species.

Across the project’s history, the most frequently documented species include:

• Ruby-throated Hummingbird
• Tennessee Warbler
• Swainson's Thrush
• Ovenbird
• Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
• Cedar Waxwing
• Common Yellowthroat
• Wood Thrush
• American Robin
• Gray Catbird

Generally, Atlanta experiences fewer collisions in spring, as many birds take alternate routes to breeding grounds. However, collisions increase in the fall, when returning migrants and newly fledged birds head south.

Research from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology ranks Atlanta as the fourth deadliest U.S. city for birds during fall migration and ninth during spring migration.

Help Collect Data: Report Collisions with dBird

You can still contribute to this research even if you can’t volunteer regularly.

If you find a dead or injured bird that may have collided with a building, report it using dBird. Simply visit dbird.org on your phone or computer and submit details about the location, species, and condition of the bird. Including a photo is especially helpful.

These reports help Birds Georgia better understand where and how often bird-building collisions occur across Georgia, guiding future conservation efforts.