On Friday, May 2nd, in partnership with the Erie Bird Observatory, the lights on the Bicentennial Tower will be turned off to reduce lighting during a time of peak bird migration!
According to the Erie Bird Observatory, Lake Erie is along the migration route for millions of birds each spring and fall, where birds will prefer to fly along the shoreline instead of making a trip across open water. The coastline of Lake Erie provides important areas for these birds to rest and feed during their thousands of miles of travel, most of which takes place at night. Light pollution is a big factor in the disorientation of birds during their journey. Typically, the moon and stars are the literal guiding light for migrants, and bright lights during the night can cause confusion on their migration routes. Erie Bird Observatory encourages the community of Erie to take part in turning lights out at night for migrating birds. The EWPPA is turning out the lights on the Bicentennial Tower on May 2nd, which is anticipated to be an evening of peak migration, to raise awareness of this effort.
If you would like to learn more about the bird migration forecast, please visit https://birdcast.info.
