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How Light Affects Flight: Understanding Where and When Offshore Artificial Light at Night (ALAN) Poses Challenges for Migratory Birds in the US

Otto, Ali
; 
Swaddle, John
Abstract
Millions of birds migrate nocturnally over offshore environments every year, yet little is known about how maritime activities influence migratory bird populations. There is increasing concern about how maritime lighting might influence bird populations, especially given the extensive evidence that artificial light at night (ALAN) impacts bird populations. The effects on these bird populations have ecological and economic implications for communities across the United States. Working in collaboration with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, we identified areas in the Gulf of Mexico and the US East Coast where there are overlaps between sources of artificial light at night (from oil and gas platforms and from cruise ships) and avian migratory pathways (from tracked birds). To highlight hotspots where maritime routes and bird migration overlap, we produced a map that illustrates the greatest degrees of overlap of ALAN and bird migratory routes. One outcome of this research is a set of recommendations that provide information on how offshore industries can reduce ALAN and its associated ecological and economic impacts on migratory birds while still maintaining the necessary functions of lighting associated with human safety and maritime navigation.
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Date
2024
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William & Mary
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Institute for Integrative Conservation
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Otto Final IIC Report 2024.pdf
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CC BY-NC-SA
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Otto, A., & Swaddle, J. (2024). How Light Affects Flight: Understanding Where and When Offshore Artificial Light at Night (ALAN) Poses Challenges for Migratory Birds in the US. Institute for Integrative Conservation. William & Mary. https://doi.org/10.21220/6M88-WP36
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DOI
https://doi.org/10.21220/6m88-wp36
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https://scholarworks.wm.edu/handle/internal/19666
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