Some of the tallest buildings in Philadelphia will go dark for a few months this year to prevent migratory birds from striking the buildings as they head north.
The participating buildings will shut off the lights from midnight to 6 a.m. every night between April 1 and May 31, and Aug. 15 and Nov. 15 to accommodate dozens of the migratory bird species.
Buildings that have already signed on to the Lights Out Philly initiative include Comcast Technology Center and Comcast Center, Jefferson Center, One South Broad, One Liberty Place, Two Liberty Place, and 1515 Market Street. More than 100 commercial, residential and municipal participants have signed up to turn off or dim their lights during spring and fall migrations.
Artificial lights at night can attract birds towards buildings, causing them to crash. An estimated 1,000 collisions with buildings can occur in a four-square block area in downtown Philly each year, according to Lights Out Philly. Turning out lights to help birds navigate their environment could reduce deaths by up to 80%, according to the group.
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Millions of birds pass through Philadelphia during the spring migration each year. The initiative started after a mass collision event in Center City killed at least 1,000 birds in a single day in 2020.
By turning off their lights between midnight and 6 a.m., buildings will also save energy and money.
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Philadelphia is one of more than 40 American cities participating in a lights out initiative, including New York, Boston, Chicago, Atlanta, Baltimore, Wilmington, Del., and Washington, D.C.
