There’s a magic in the Texas sky, and it’s about more than just sunsets. When the seasons shift, the Texas air fills with the stirring flight of nearly two billion migratory birds, passing through one of the world’s most vital corridors for wildlife. In spring, one in every three birds traveling through the U.S. touches Texas, while in fall, the state becomes the highway for one in four. It’s one of the planet’s greatest wildlife spectacles — a rush of wings in the twilight hours.
But as beautiful as this migration is, there’s a dark side to it. Every year, between one hundred million and one billion birds die in collisions with man-made structures, and a surprising culprit lies in plain sight: light pollution.
If you’ve ever stood outside on a crisp Texas evening and looked up, you’ve likely witnessed a silhouette of birds darting through the sky, guided by the stars. But these birds are navigating under the glow of city lights, a beacon that, rather than guiding them home, often disorients them. This can lead them to dangerously stray into urban centers, where they face the double threat of crashing into reflective glass windows or getting off course, straying far from their migration paths.
This isn’t just an inconvenience for the birds. It’s a full-blown crisis for U.S. bird populations, which have been in steep decline since 1970. With an estimated one billion U.S. bird deaths each year, this collision course with our built environment threatens not just their migration, but their very existence.
In 2020, Texas began a statewide initiative to address this problem head-on. Spearheaded by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and BirdCast, with major contributions from local organizations like Houston Audubon, the Dallas Zoo, and the Perot Museum of Nature and Science, “Lights Out, Texas!” is a campaign designed to protect migratory birds from the disorienting effects of light pollution.
The campaign reached new heights when, in the fall of 2020, Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson declared “Lights Out Nights” in an effort to reduce the risks facing birds. By spring 2021, this call to action had spread throughout Texas, amplified by Texan by Nature, a nonprofit founded by former First Lady Laura Bush. And by 2022, Audubon Texas took the reins, coordinating the statewide program with support from partners across the state.
The importance of protecting these birds goes beyond just their beauty. They’re crucial to the ecology of Texas and beyond. Birds play an essential role in our environment, providing vital ecosystem services like pollination, pest control, and seed dispersal. Their health is a direct reflection of the overall health of our environment. Birds are bioindicators, signaling whether an area is thriving or in danger. When the birds go, we all lose.
Economically, birds are also powerhouses. In Texas, nature tourism, driven largely by bird watching, brings in $300 million annually to the Rio Grande Valley alone, supporting thousands of jobs. But it’s not just about the dollars; it’s about the connection between people and nature, a bond that helps define who we are.
So what can you do to make a difference? It’s simple: turn off the lights.
From 11 p.m. to 6 a.m., when birds are migrating through Texas, building owners, homeowners, businesses, and developers can help by turning off non-essential lights. This means no decorative lighting, no unnecessary outdoor lighting, and, where possible, dimming or extinguishing any indoor lights that could be visible from the outside. This small step has the power to save countless lives.
If you’re responsible for a building, here are some guidelines:
- Turn off exterior lights, especially decorative ones, including spotlights, logos, and atrium lighting.
- Avoid using landscape lighting that may draw birds to rest in danger zones.
- Use motion-sensing lights and shield them to reduce light pollution.
- For tall buildings, consider dimming lobby lights, avoiding bright lights in empty spaces, and switching to warm lighting (less than 3000 Kelvin).
The benefits are clear. Not only will you be saving migratory birds, but you’ll also be contributing to energy efficiency and reducing light pollution, helping the natural world thrive.
The birds’ migration patterns are predictable, and understanding when they’re most at risk helps us take action at the right time. The spring migration spans from March 1 to June 15, with peak migration occurring between April 22 and May 12. The fall migration runs from August 15 to November 30, with peak migration happening between September 5 and October 29.
These are the windows where every dimmed light matters. By joining “Lights Out, Texas!,” you’re not just making a small change — you’re becoming part of a movement that spans the entire state. Communities, cities, organizations, and individuals are all coming together to protect this vital wildlife spectacle.
