The Problem We Created
Each spring and fall, billions of birds - waterfowl, shorebirds, and many species of songbirds - migrate across North America under the cover of night. These flights, guided by celestial, geomagnetic, and other sensory cues, represent some of the most extraordinary endurance events in nature.
Artificial light at night disrupts these natural signals. Disoriented birds circle illuminated areas, aggregate in large numbers, and collide with structures. This is fatal light attraction - bright lights pulling birds into urban environments where windows, walls, and buildings become deadly obstacles. Others become trapped in pools of light, unable to navigate out, a behavior known as light entrapment.
Each year, more than 1 billion birds die in the United States from collisions with buildings and windows.
The problem is accelerating. According to research published in Science, night skies are growing brighter by nearly 10% each year. For many people, the night sky is now twice as bright as it was eight years ago. Every year, more stars disappear from view and the geomagnetic cues birds depend on are overwhelmed by artificial light.
Habitat conservation of breeding, stopover, and non-breeding areas is fundamental for protecting bird populations. But we must also protect the migratory pathways that connect these habitats. Safe passage is just as vital as safe destinations, and controlling light pollution is a critically important task in making skies safer for birds.
Not Every Night Matters Equally
Here’s what makes this problem solvable: bird migration is concentrated, not constant. Research shows that more than half of annual nocturnal bird migration over the contiguous U.S. occurs on just 10% of nights. The biggest waves happen during spring and fall, triggered by weather and seasonal factors that send millions of birds aloft simultaneously.
Migration altitude decreases steadily during early morning hours, increasing the risk of disorientation and collision near artificial light sources. The overlap between “when birds are most vulnerable” and “when we need light the least” is enormous.
This means targeted action on a small number of nights can have outsized conservation impact.
Automated Protection with BirdCast
Photometrics AI integrates directly with BirdCast, a nationally recognized migration forecasting program from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Colorado State University, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and the University of Massachusetts Amherst. BirdCast uses weather radar to detect birds in flight and produces nightly migration intensity forecasts, live maps, migration dashboards, and migration alerts.
Photometrics AI uses these alerts to identify high-risk nights. Between 2:00 AM and one hour before sunrise, the system recalculates lighting needs based on geography and local conditions:
- Commercial zones and major roadways maintain standard illumination levels
- Quiet, low-speed, low-crime areas dim to minimize ecological disruption
- Timing targets peak vulnerability - late night and pre-dawn hours when birds fly at their lowest altitudes
This runs automatically, every migration season, without anyone needing to remember to turn it on. It’s not a one-time “lights out” campaign. It’s an ongoing operational capability that also enables cities to actively participate in organized lights-out programs.
Why Street Lighting Matters
“Lights Out” programs have historically focused on commercial buildings - asking office towers to turn off interior lights during migration season. That matters. But street lighting represents one of the largest sources of artificial light at night in urban areas, and it has been largely absent from the conversation.
Unlike building lights, streetlights are public infrastructure. A single decision by a city or utility can affect thousands of lights across an entire network. And because Photometrics AI works through existing networked lighting controls, there’s no hardware to install and no manual intervention required.
This approach reduces skyglow and preserves the natural darkness migratory birds require for orientation and navigation. By adjusting lighting in response to real-time data, communities can support healthy migration outcomes without compromising safety.
Street lighting provides safety and mobility earlier in the evening. It does not need to be a hazard for species that depend on darkness to navigate.
Read the full announcement: Photometrics AI Integrates BirdCast Data to Protect Migratory Birds
How to Apply
Coming soon - practical guidance for municipalities and conservation organizations on implementing bird-safe lighting programs.