By Jesse Greene

Lights Out Indy (LOI) is ready to kick off our 2022 season. Looking to build on the success of 2021, LOI looks to continue community engagement through building participants, volunteers, legislators, and other community partners. What made 2021 such a great year? LOI reached out to the City-County Council of Indianapolis and Marion County to support our initiative. We are pleased to announce that 16 members of that legislative body agreed to sign in support of “buildings turning off unnecessary lighting at night during migration periods in the spring and fall and to apply window treatments where necessary to reduce bird collisions and save energy output”.

 This was followed by major downtown buildings agreeing to participate in turning lights out during migration. These buildings include the Salesforce Tower, the Indy Zoo, the Central Library, the City-County Building, and Newfields. When this news first broke, the story was picked up by our friends at WTHR. Check out the LOI Facebook page to see the full story. (https://www.facebook.com/lightsoutindy/)

 Beyond our increasing community relationships, we had seven volunteers survey 18 days. Our team of volunteers collected 92 birds across 18 surveys. The dead birds collected are recorded and donated to the Eagle Creek Park Ornithology Center, which has a salvage permit to use the specimens for taxidermy, education, and study. This year, the Ornithology Center is also beginning a new research project, funded by a 2021 Birdathon Grant, to study the skeletal trauma of window strike victims, in partnership with Dr. Stephen Nawrocki and the forensic lab at the University of Indianapolis.

 Are you curious to the most common species to succumb to window strikes in Indianapolis over the last few years based on our collection data? The unfortunate answer is Ovenbird.

As we turn the page to 2022, we hope to continue increasing volunteers, building participants, and suburban participation. LOI is currently pursuing relationships with companies such as AES (formerly IPL), to assist in encouraging lights out.

 We need everyone’s help to achieve our 2022 goals. How can you get involved?

  • Make your property bird safe. Turn off unnecessary lighting at night in the months of April and May. Every home counts. Additionally, you can apply bird-safe tape to your windows to avoid daytime collisions. Resources are available in the Indiana Audubon Society’s online store.
  • Volunteer to go on surveys. Surveys are instrumental in data collection. LOI uses data to support requests made to unsafe buildings. The data also go to international research.
  • Do you have legislative connections? Chicago recently passed the Bird-Safe Buildings Act. Other cities have been adopting similar measures. LOI is looking for influence in Indianapolis and any resources that will help us make this happen.
  • We welcome any connections to commercial property management.

 Have more questions? Found a window strike bird? Want to get involved? LOI has information on the ABAS website, as well as our Facebook and Instagram presence. You can also email us at the address below. We look forward to connecting with you. Thank you for keeping Lights Out, Indy!

 

(https://www.amosbutleraudubon.org/conservation/lights-out-indy/)

 (https://www.facebook.com/lightsoutindy/)

 Instagram (@lightsoutindy)

 info@AmosButlerAudubon.org

 Photo of 2020 birds collected courtesy of Molly Goodwin.