Outside lights are deadly to birds, especially this time of year

A new study finds that more than 1 billion birds — and probably more — are killed annually in the U.S. in collisions with windows. The researchers at Fordham University, the NYC Bird Alliance, the American Bird Conservancy and Stony Brook University say many of those bird collisions result from light pollution. Artificial lighting confuses birds, who use light from the moon and stars to navigate their migrations. People can make small changes at home, however, to help the birds. Turn off outdoor lights that you don't need, especially in fall and spring. Turn the lights toward the ground. Pull blinds or curtains over windows at night. And put tape, stickers or other visual cues on window glass so birds will see there's a barrier there.