Lights Out Chicago!
Please join light reduction efforts to make Chicago a safer place for migrating birds!
Lights from the tops of multi-story buildings (including logos, clocks, lighted antennae, and decorative top decorations) are fatal attractions to migratory birds that are passing over urban areas at night. Birds are drawn away from their night time flights to become hopelessly disoriented and trapped circling brightly lit structures or beams of light. When they arrive in the downtown area just before sunrise, birds are tempted to fly into brightly lit lobbies towards attractive indoor plants and fountains.
We encourage building management and the public to support light reduction in downtown and lakefront areas by turning off all bright display lighting on the top of your building in the downtown area or along the lakefront from 11:00 p.m. until evening the following day during spring migration (March 15 to June 15) and fall migration (August 15 to November 15).
Reduce as much of the light from your building as possible:
- turn out light
- put motion sensors that activate lights only when rooms are occupied
- put lights on timers
- draw shades or blinds
- use localized lighting at reception desks rather than illuminating an entire multistory lobby
- schedule cleaning crews to work before 11 p.m. so that lights can be turned out for the rest of the night.
- dim lobby lights in the early morning hours to the greatest extent possible
This will make a big difference in bird safety and provide energy savings too!
Help Chicago continue as the city with the greatest participation in light reduction for bird safety in North America!
Write your city representatives to request that light reduction become a city ordinance that requires making the skyline safer for migrating birds!
Learn more about the benefits of light reduction at the Illinois Coalition for Responsible Outdoor Lighting.