With the change of seasons, billions of birds are traveling right now for a better chance of survival. The fall migration period began September 1 and will continue through November 15.

That is why Lights Out Connecticut is reminding people do their part to help migrating birds by shutting off lights, especially at night.

Lights Out Connecticut is a project created by Connecticut Ornithological Association in February 2022 to help reduce bird deaths caused by building collisions in the state of Connecticut.

According to Lights Out Connecticut, “Each year, 350 million (Spring) and 1 billion (Fall) birds die from building collisions in the United States. Bright artificial lights can disorient migrating birds who travel, trapping them in beams of light, or lure them into unsafe developed areas, causing them to crash into windows and structures. During daylight hours, birds collide with reflective surfaces and transparent facades when they stop to feed or rest.”

Protect Our Pollinators (POP) in Newtown is participating in this initiative and encouraging residents to do so, as well. The nonprofit organization is devoted to public education and to the conservation of pollinators, which includes birds, and their habitats.

POP member Holly Kocet explained, “I would say that while Protect Our Pollinators is very concerned with what's happening to our native bees and other pollinating insects (which, by the way, includes our native ruby-throated hummingbird), we understand that all nature is interconnected.”

She continued, “Over the years, there has been a sharp decline of insect populations (including caterpillars) due to loss of natural habitat from increased development and the use of pesticides. Our landscapes are dominated by non-native introductions of trees and shrubs that offer little benefit to birds and other wildlife. Many of these introduced plants have been proven to be invasive, escaping cultivation to displace our native flora.”

All these factors have already negatively impacted bird populations.

“[Birds] struggle for in finding safe resting and nesting sites and food for their young. It takes between 5,000 to 9,000 caterpillars to feed one clutch of baby birds,” Kocet said. “Light pollution and collisions with man-made obstacles during migration is just one more threat our birds have to face."

Not only does shutting off lights at night help birds but Lights Out Connecticut reports that people can benefit from it, too. Doing do can lead to better health, reduce energy use, save people money, and create an opportunity for the stars to be visible at night.

Everyone can participate and those who wish to sign-up to make the pledge can do so by visiting lightsoutct.org.

Specifics actions that the pledge lists are:

*Turn off spotlights and/or decorative lighting,

*Turn off interior lights, especially on upper floors,

*Substitute task and area lighting or draw blinds/shades after 11 pm,

*Down-shield exterior lighting or limit to ground level,

*Put outdoor lighting on timers and/or motion sensors where possible,

*Reduce lobby and atrium lighting where possible, and

*Substitute strobe lighting for safety where possible.

To learn more, search “Lights Out - Fall Migration” on YouTube to see Lights Out Connecticut’s brief video that shows devastating effects lights can have on birds.

Reporter Alissa Silber can be reached at alissa@thebee.com.