08/26/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 08/26/2025 12:51
Published on August 26, 2025
The Lights Out initiative continues as we head into peak bird migration season.
What is Lights Out? Lights Out is an educational campaign of awareness and action focused on the protection of migratory birds by turning off lights at night. Each year, hundreds of millions of birds migrate through our great state of Texas and are subject to light pollution.
How you can help: All Texans are encouraged to turn off nonessential lights, both business and residential, at night from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. during the fall migration, Aug. 15-Nov. 30, especially during the peak migration period, Sept. 5-May 7.
Migration periods
Why it's important: The goal is to protect billions of birds as they migrate across the United States - one of the largest migrations on the planet and one that occurs primarily at night. Lights from buildings, especially in urban areas, attract and disorient migrating birds, confusing and exhausting them and making them vulnerable to collisions with buildings. Turning off lights dramatically reduces hazards and disorientation by light, allowing birds to safely proceed with their migratory journeys.
Downtown Fort Worth's high-rise buildings and the City of Fort Worth's City Hall have already joined the mission to help save the lives of birds as they begin their spring migration. The decorative lighting on City Hall is dimmed year-round during late-night hours, not just during peak bird migration.
The City of Fort Worth is committed to protecting birds and to saving energy as well. Participating in this initiative is a great way do to both. Residents and businesses, not just downtown, can reduce light pollution at night for a few hours to support this effort.
These actions are taken to support the Lights Out initiative, headed by the National Audubon Society and Texan by Nature.
Learn more from the National Audubon Society website.
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