Slug: lights-out-chicago-how-to-help-migrating-birds
Meta description (≤160): Chicago’s Lights Out program protects migrating birds. See what other cities are doing and get a practical, step-by-step checklist to help tonight.
Focus keyphrase: Lights Out Chicago
Why “Lights Out” matters
Each year, hundreds of millions—likely up to a billion—birds die in the U.S. after colliding with buildings, especially during spring and fall migration when lights at night lure birds into glassy cityscapes. Dimming and shielding lights meaningfully reduces those deaths. Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, PNAS
Chicago sits on the Mississippi Flyway and has been ranked the most dangerous U.S. city for migrating birds due to high light pollution plus location—precisely why Lights Out Chicago exists. WTTW News
What is Lights Out Chicago?
The ask (seasonal):
Turn non-essential lights off 11 p.m.–6 a.m. during migration: Mar 15–Jun 15 and Aug 15–Nov 15. Close blinds, dim atriums and lobbies, and minimize exterior/decorative lighting. (Essential safety/security lighting should be shielded and motion-activated.)
Who participates: Building owners/managers (commercial & residential), tenants, and households. Chicago Bird Alliance and Chicago Bird Collision Monitors coordinate education, volunteer patrols, and rescues. Cornell Chronicle, Bird Monitors
Does it work? After nearly 1,000 birds died at McCormick Place on a single October 2023 night, the venue installed bird-safe window film. Collisions dropped dramatically the next season (≈95% at that building, per reports). Axios, AP News
Policy backdrop: In 2025 Chicago updated its Sustainable Development Policy with bird-friendly design requirements for covered projects; advocates still push for broader, binding rules citywide. AP News
How other cities are reacting
- New York City — Local Law 15 (2020) requires bird-friendly materials on new construction and major alterations; retrofits like the Javits Center cut collisions ~90–95%. Architectural Digest
- San Francisco — Bird-Safe Buildings Standards (2011) integrate bird-friendly design into the planning code. American Bird Conservancy
- Washington, DC — A bird-safe building law takes effect Jan 1, 2025, driven by years of Lights Out DC data; city also runs active monitoring and rehab. The Washington Post, City Wildlife
- Madison, WI — Bird-safe glass ordinance upheld in court (2023), strengthening local compliance. Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance
- Philadelphia — Lights Out Philly (mid-Aug–mid-Nov; Apr–May) reports promising reductions and broad civic buy-in. birdsafephilly, WHYY
- Texas (statewide) — Lights Out Texas coordinates Dallas, Houston & others with unified dates (Mar 1–Jun 15; Aug 15–Nov 30) and 11 p.m.–6 a.m. guidance. Audubon Texas, birdcast.info
Audubon now supports Lights Out programs in dozens of cities across North America. Audubon
What YOU can do tonight (apartment, home, or office)
Quick wins (5–10 minutes)
- Turn off non-essential indoor/outdoor lights 11 p.m.–6 a.m.; close blinds/curtains.
- If lights must stay on, aim them down, shield fixtures, and use motion sensors and warm bulbs (<3000K). Audubon Texas
- Check BirdCast to see when big migration pulses are overhead and go extra-dark on those nights.
Make windows safer (best bang for buck)
Reflections and transparency are the killers. Treat outside surfaces so birds see the glass.
- Apply dot/stripe patterns (films or markers). Follow the “2×2 rule” (marks ≤2 inches apart horizontally/vertically) to protect even tiny birds; apply outside. All About Birds
- Install insect screens or exterior shades; both buffer impacts and cut reflections. SOS Save Our Songbirds
- Try Acopian BirdSavers (paracord “zen curtains”): simple DIY or premade; studies show ~90–94% strike reduction. Space cords ~3.5–4.25 inches. birdsavers.com, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Yard & balcony tweaks
- Place feeders/baths <3 ft from glass or >30 ft away to prevent high-speed impacts. Birds Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Avoid uplighting trees/landscaping (especially during migration). Audubon Texas
- Plant native shrubs away from large panes to reduce mirrored “green tunnel” illusions. (General best practice; aligns with ABC/USFWS guidance.) U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Help wildlife (and the data)
- Keep cats indoors. Outdoor cats kill an estimated 2.4B birds annually in the U.S. Nature
- In Chicago, report or rescue stunned birds via Chicago Bird Collision Monitors; they coordinate volunteer patrols and transport to rehab. Bird Monitors
- Log collisions with local programs (e.g., Lights Out DC/Philly) to support science-backed fixes. City Wildlife, birdsafephilly
For property managers, HOAs & offices (copy-and-send playbook)
- Commit to seasonal Lights Out: 11 p.m.–6 a.m., Mar 15–Jun 15 and Aug 15–Nov 15 (Chicago). Post the dates on ops calendars and janitorial schedules.
- Tune the lighting plan: Disable decorative lighting, dim atriums, shield exterior fixtures, set occupancy sensors, and use ≤3000K lamps outdoors. Audubon Texas
- Prioritize glass at ground & podium levels: Treat the most reflective/transparent panes (especially by greenery, lobbies, skybridges). Chicago case studies show big returns on the first 100 feet. AP News
- Communicate: Share a tenant memo with dates, why it matters, and simple at-desk actions (turn off desk lamps; close blinds). (Audubon has turnkey materials.) Audubon
- Benchmark & celebrate: Track collisions/rescues with local partners; publicize reductions.
When to go “all in” (Chicago timing)
- Spring migration: mid-March 15 to June 15
- Fall migration: August 15 to November 15
- Lights Out window nightly: 11 p.m.–6 a.m.
Use BirdCast to watch nightly forecasts and set extra-dark alerts on heavy-migration nights.
Further reading & resources
- Lights Out Chicago (program details, volunteer/rescue). Bird Monitors
- BOMA/Building Owner guidance (Chicago hours/dates & building steps). Chicago BOMA
- Audubon Lights Out (national overview & materials). Audubon
- Cornell Lab: Make Windows Safer (why 2×2 spacing works & DIY options). All About Birds
- USFWS: Practical low-cost window fixes & lighting tips. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
