Dark Skies for Migration Season — and All Year Long

Excerpts from the Whidbey Audubon Society website with articles by Jay Adams and Joe Quintana

Our planet’s animals adapted in a dark environment and artificial light can have dire consequences for their behavior and survival. There has been rising awareness of the potential impact of light pollution on bird migration, but the problem extends well beyond migration season. Whidbey Audubon Society (WAS) has several resources illustrating the effects of light pollution on various fauna (including us!)

The WAS brochure on the problem with artificial light at night points out that many migrating birds fly at night. Lights in cities can result in flocks becoming disoriented and thrown off their migratory path or worse— collide with buildings or lighted towers. Artificial light at night from a wide range of sources threatens the well-being of organisms large and small and not just those that are nocturnal. There are steps you can take to reduce your light pollution. 

Jay Adams has summarized the ecological consequences of artificial light on various species, and reviews steps that can be taken on the individual and community level to reduce negative impacts. Read This Little Light of Mine: More Ecological Consequences of Artificial Light at Night on the WAS website under Stewardship.

Joe Quintana produced a very in-depth article on the effects of artificial light: Lighting Up the Night Harms All Life On Earth. He discusses negative effects of the disruption of circadian rhythm, as well as the three-fold problem of artificial light (the amount, the color and the direction of light). He also debunks various myths about night lighting and safety. He calls on the environmental community to take action to address light pollution. Joe ends his article with a wonderful sentiment about reducing your impact on light pollution: “Let’s do it for the critters, and for ourselves. And so that once again we can see, wherever we are, the true beauty of the night.”