Over 1 billion birds to pass over Harrisburg this weekend during annual migration

David Tristan
·2 min read

(WHTM) – This time of year one of the most amazing natural phenomena on the planet is taking place over our heads, but we don’t see it because it happens while we’re asleep.

In spring and early summer, millions and millions of birds make their annual migrations north from the southern hemisphere. The website BirdCast, which tracks the migrations in real time using weather radar, predicts the Harrisburg area will have around 416 million birds pass overhead on May 3, another 353 million on May 4, and 486 million on May 5.

Most of these birds start their migrating about three hours after local sunset.

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According to the Audubon Society, most birds do their migrating at night. The night air is calmer because sunlight is not stirring up thermal winds, which makes it easier to stay on course. The cooler temperatures at night help keep birds from overheating. Flying in the dark protects birds from daytime predators. And the birds use the moon and stars to navigate.

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But humans are blinding birds with artificial light. The glare of our light pollution attracts, distracts, and disorients migrating birds. Confused and exhausted from trying to orient themselves to these misleading waymarkers, they go off course – right into buildings. It’s estimated 365 – 988 million birds die in collisions with buildings every year, including a lot of threatened or endangered species.

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Fortunately, the solution to the problem is simple – if we’re willing to do it. Just turn the lights off between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. during migration season.

The Lights Out for Birds movement is international in scope. Cities across the world have joined the program, encouraging people to dim the light during migration time, including Harrisburg. Some suggestions for homes and businesses:

  • Turn off or dim lobby and atrium lights.

  • Turn off or dim inside home lights, or draw blinds to keep indoor light indoors.

  • Turn off decorative landscape lighting.

  • Turn off lights before leaving the home or office.

  • Be sure outside lights are aimed down and shielded.

  • Install motion sensors on outside lights to minimize use.

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The Birdcast site will be tracking migrations until mid-June.

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