The bright lights at Reunion Tower won’t shine as bright in the next couple of weeks. The lights will be dimmed by around 50% to protect migrating birds coming through North Texas.
According to Fox 4, from September 20 to October 10, 2022, the famous tower will be dimly lit from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. every day.
The lights will be dimmed in an effort to follow Lights out Texas, a nature-based initiative led by former First Lady Laura Bush that encourages residents to turn off non-essential lights to protect birds from crashing. Bright lights are known to disorient birds and make them prone to colliding with buildings and homes during their flight. Most of these oigratory birds fly at night when these lights are most distracting.
The migration season through North Texas is a big one for birds and nearly two billion travel through the area this time of year. Fox 4 reported that the the Texas Conservation Alliance determined birds colliding with walls is the second-biggest cause of death for migratory birds.
Texas By Nature says that Fall migration for birds take place from August 15 to November 30, but the critical fall peak is from September 5 to October 29. Local Profile previously reported that, “Bird losses are at an incredible high right now,” said Andrew Farnsworth, Senior Research Associate at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. “The last fifty years we’ve lost about 3 billion birds from North America only.”
Lights out Texas began in 2011 when the former First Lady sought out to unite conservation and businesses to promote the conservation of natural resources. Texas is home to many unique natural resources that must be maintained. The organization works to continue to build off those resources and protect wildlife and the environment.
Some of the bids that will be passing through North Texas include Chuck-will’s-widow, Olive-sided Flycatcher, Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, Nashville Warbler, Prairie Warbler, Mourning Warbler and the Canada Warbler.
If you want to help protect these migrating birds on their journey refrain from using bright lights during the night especially tall lights and flood lights.