Saving Songbirds

Artificial light can have negative impacts on people and wildlife, including migratory birds that depend on the night sky to navigate between their winter and summer homes. Being intentional with the type and timing of lights we use both indoors and outside can go a long way in reducing light pollution!

• Turn off indoor and outdoor lights when they aren’t needed
• If interior lights need to stay on at night, draw curtains and close blinds before you leave
• Switch out bright, white-blue bulbs with soft, warm colors like yellow and amber—2700k and under is better for wildlife and people!
• Install timers or motion sensors so lights are only on when needed. Motion sensor and timer bulbs are a great choice for existing outdoor light fixtures!
• For exterior lights, use shielded fixtures that aim light downwards

Turning off and reducing lights during major migration periods in the spring and fall can make a huge difference for songbirds! Try hosting a seasonal Lights Out challenge with your family, neighbors, school, or coworkers! You can find peak migration times in your region by exploring BirdCast.

Because birds can’t perceive glass the way people do, reflective windows and building surfaces can lead birds to think they’re flying through open sky or finding a place to forage, resulting in a collision that can kill or seriously injure the bird. In fact, such collisions kill up to 1 billion birds a year in the United States alone. By making windows and other glass features more visible, we can help dramatically reduce these collisions and create safer buildings for birds!

• • Apply dot decals or tape to the exterior side of your windows
  • Use tempera paint, soap, or UV decals to reduce reflections. You can make a grid pattern of 2 x 2 inches, or get creative and make an artistic mural!
  • Hang Acopian BirdSavers or “zen curtains” over your windows.
  • Install insect screens on the outside of your windows.

The urban environment can pose a lot of challenges for birds. Along with light pollution and reflective surfaces, there is less habitat for nesting and finding food and water. Every little bit of space we make to welcome birds (and pollinators) counts! Even a flowerpot on a windowsill or patio can help, especially if you choose plants with wildlife value like the ones found on our Plant for Pollinators page! You can beautify your spaces AND help fuel birds’ journeys!

• Plant pollinator-friendly plants, shrubs and trees
• Avoid using chemicals on your plants and in your landscape
• Put up a bird feeder (not too close to a reflective window!) to help supplement food while we all work to increase natural habitats
• Provide a water source like a bird-friendly bird bath (some bird baths are better than others!)

Just like our big cats at the Zoo, domestic cats have a powerful natural hunting instinct. When cats roam free across the urban landscape, this predatory drive can lead to them attacking songbirds and other wildlife. In fact, cats are the leading cause of bird mortality in the United States—but we can change that!

Keeping cats inside isn’t just better for wildlife—it’s also better for your cats! Staying indoors protects cats from vehicles, predation, and overall injury and illness. Enrichment-style toys keep kitties occupied, while using leashes or installing a catio can allow you to provide safe and supervised outdoors time for your cat. Keep your cats inside as much as possible is an important way to ensure our feline and feathered friends can coexist!

Many of the songbirds we see and hear here, spend their winters in Central and South America, where our favorite coffees are grown! As consumers, we can choose to support coffee growers who have committed to farming practice that support and protect wildlife and critical bird habitat.

Smithsonian’s Bird-Friendly certification ensures that the coffee and cocoa you purchase are produced by organic farms that are deforestation-free and guarantee habitat protection. You can search for Bird-Friendly products near you using their Where to Buy tool!