Fort Worth to Consider Protections for Migratory Birds

February 2,2021

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See full NBC DFW article by Ben Russell here.

Fort Worth city council members will hear a proposal on Tuesday to consider measures that could prevent the deaths of scores of migratory birds.

A representative of Lights Out Texas and the Dark Skies Initiative will address a council work session to discuss ways that the downtown business community can reduce light pollution during the overnight hours in the spring and fall.

As many as one billion migratory birds travel through Texas – 1 in 3 of all birds that migrate south for the winter through the United States – every year, and an untold number of them are killed when they crash into buildings, according to conservationists.

Research from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology estimates that as many as 600 million birds are killed annually in the United States. Their research shows that birds are drawn toward the lights of big cities.

The researchers named Dallas as one of the three deadliest cities for bird strikes, along with Houston and Chicago, and said Downtown Dallas, Inc. has been responsive to their efforts to limit light pollution.

The organizations that will address Fort Worth council on Tuesday will ask for a similar commitment from downtown Fort Worth.