Reduce Light Pollution to Protect Bird Migration

Originally letter-to-the-editor published March 25, 2025 in The Falls Church Indpendent

Dear Editor,

Spring is upon us. A new Lights Out for the Birds initiative for the Spring bird migration season was launched by the Northern Virginia Bird Alliance in partnership with a number of other organizations including DarkSky NOVA, the Northern Virginia chapter of DarkSky International.

We need the support of every resident, business and government entity in the region to protect the hundreds of millions of birds traversing our region now.

One hundred million birds migrate over our heads at night in the Spring as we sleep, resting during the day and singing more to attract mates. After summering in their Northern homes, 160 million return on the Fall migration with their new families.

Migrating birds can be severely affected by light pollution. Courtesy Fairfax County.

Hundreds of millions of birds die each year due to collisions with buildings and homes or simply of exhaustion from being attracted to artificial lights at night.  Birds use the stars and moon to navigate by. Too many lights confuses them and draws them off course. Too often the result is fatal.

See this video, "Lights Out Texas – Dimming Lights for Birds - Documentary" to learn more.

The City of Falls Church’s neighbor, Fairfax County has undertaken measures to protect the migrating birds this season. The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors has been, and is, very supportive of the light pollution issue especially the deadly harm it causes the birds migrating through our Northern Virginia area.  

Fairfax County Board Supervisor Walkinshaw introduced a joint board matter with Supervisor Jimenez, Supervisor Stark, and Supervisor Alcorn to address the problem and to raise awareness among the citizens and businesses of the county.

These measures include providing more information to residents about the importance of lighting responsibly especially during this time of year and instructing county staff to evaluate county owned buildings to turn off unnecessary lights. Educational information at the county level is being distributed about the problem, what citizens can do to help, and each individual supervisor is including information in their district newsletters.

The Fairfax County Park Authority is doing the same and several years ago created a webpage about Dark Skies and light pollution.

While time ran a little short to reach out to more local jurisdictions, we are asking everyone in the City of Falls Church to participate in this program and to help share it with family, friends and colleagues. It would be great if your paper could help promote this campaign. 

I know the City of Falls Church is doing some wonderful work addressing this problem of light pollution. The City of Falls Church issued proclamations for International Dark Sky Week the past several years, demonstrating their support for this issue in addition to the outdoor lighting ordinances the city has enacted. 

International Dark Sky Week falls 21 through 28 April this year at the height of the Spring bird migration season which is a great way to learn more about the wide range of impacts artificial light has at night, including our own human health.

DarkSky International has a program to certify your home "dark sky friendly," which is neighbor and community friendly, and can be applied to businesses too.  We encourage everyone to take the time to assess your own home’s or business’s lighting, and to take the steps to make it dark sky friendly.  

Remember dark skies do not mean dark ground. Lighting responsibly enables humans to traverse their spaces safely without harming our shared environments around us. Light pollution is doubling every 8-10 years and in some places scientists predict no stars will be visible in 20 years unless we take action now. 

The lack of awareness among the public about this issue is a serious problem across the region, the country and the globe. 

Many organizations are working together to educate about this easily solved pollution. Simply following the 5 Principles of Responsible Outdoor Lighting at Night will solve it. Is your lighting 1. Useful, 2. Targeted, 3. Low Level, 4. Controlled, and 5. Warm-Colored?

Please join us in being part of the solution to save the birds and to solve light pollution. And we invite you to join DarkSky NOVA. With all of us working together we can bring back the stars at night, protect our feathered friends as they travel through – the wildlife, nocturnal pollinators and plants too.

Thank you Falls Church Independent for all of the help you're giving to educate people around here! 

~ Eileen Kragie, Vienna, Virginia.

Eileen Kragie is the founder of Dark Sky Friends, a DarkSky NOVA Chapter Leader, and a DarkSky International Advocate.