Twice a year, in the spring and fall, Toronto serves as a thoroughfare and important rest stop for migratory birds as they make their way to their overwintering sites and summer breeding grounds.
The City has launched its annual “Lights Out Toronto” campaign to make sure our feathered friends get to their destinations safe and sound.
“Toronto was the first city in North America to officially adopt migratory bird protection policies such as requirements for new developments to have bird-friendly design features and glass,” states the campaign website, and the “Lights Out” campaign is part of that broader initiative.
As in most cities, Toronto’s large buildings and other structures can pose a danger to birds, with the City reporting an estimated 25 million birds being killed each year across Canada as they hit building windows.
“Most birds migrate at night, guiding themselves with natural cues from the moon and stars. Night-migrating birds are drawn by city lights into urban areas where they often fatally collide with building windows that they cannot see,” states the campaign website.
To help prevent such collisions, the City is encouraging residents and businesses to turn off non-essential lights during night time and offers the following suggestions:
- Turn off interior home and office lights at night, especially on higher floors
- If lights must be kept on, draw the curtains or close the blinds to prevent light spilling out
- Turn off any outdoor decorative lighting as well as pot lights and flood lights when not in use
- Reduce the use of atrium lighting when possible and substitute strobe lighting
- Install automatic motion sensors where possible so lights are only on when necessary
If you encounter a bird that has hit a window, the City advises to handle it with care, based on the Fatal Light Awareness Program (FLAP) guidelines:
- Put the bird in either a carboard box or an unwaxed paper bag with some tissue to give it a perching spot
- Do not handle the bird more than necessary
- Do not give the bird food or water
- Wash your hands after handling the bird
- Contact the Toronto Wildlife Centre
“Many of North America’s migratory bird species are facing significant population decline. Habitat loss, pesticide use, hunting by cats, climate change and collision with buildings are endangering the survival of countless migratory birds,” the City says.
“Turning off lights is an easy way for businesses and residents to make Toronto a safer place for migratory birds.”
