How Miami-Dade residents can help birds migrate safely
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Don't let another red-eyed vireo crash into a building! Photo: Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
Millions of birds that fly south for the winter pass through Miami-Dade County — and the Tropical Audubon Society is looking for help so that fewer of them crash into buildings.
State of play: The Atlantic Coast constitutes one of four migrant flyways — like a highway for birds — in North America.
- On Monday night alone, 865,900 birds flew over Miami-Dade, according to BirdCast, a website run by several universities that estimates migration numbers.
- 38 million birds have crossed the region since August, per the tracker.
What they're saying: "Hundreds of species of migrant birds fly over Miami-Dade," Brian Rapoza, field trips coordinator and board member at Tropical Audubon, told Axios.
- Orioles, flycatchers, thrushes and various types of shorebirds are among them, he said.
- Typically, migrating birds rest in the day and fly at night, using stars as guideposts.
- "Atmospheric conditions are better for flying smoother at night, and also they don't worry about being eaten by birds of prey, like hawks and eagles, that are active in the day," Rapoza said.
Yes, but: They're crashing into buildings and dying, because they're disoriented by artificial light.
- Already this fall, species including red-eyed vireo, ovenbird and black-and-white warbler have died this way locally, according to Tropical Audubon.
- Experts estimate nearly a billion birds are killed each year in the U.S. by crashing into windows.
How you can help: Tropical Audubon's Lights Out Miami initiative asks homeowners to turn off their lights from 11pm to 6am through Nov. 15 to help the migratory birds.
- The society is also seeking volunteers to collect data on bird deaths. Volunteers should go for regular early-morning walks and scan for dead birds. If they find any, volunteers should submit photos and details to the website dbird.org.
- The data will help researchers understand what species are most at risk, at what times, and the types of building lights or windows that prompt fatal impacts.
Details: Data collected anywhere in Miami-Dade County is of value, but volunteers are especially needed where there are buildings with large surface areas and reflective windows, such as Brickell, downtown, the Biscayne Boulevard corridor, downtown Dadeland and Miami Beach, as well as business districts in Aventura, Coconut Grove and Coral Gables.
- Rapoza said the initiative is just beginning, but he sees up to two reports every week even with just a few volunteers.