Lecture by Brian Rapoza of the Tropical Audubon on the subject of Bird Migration and Light Pollution.
In the second lecture of our season, it is quite fitting that we speak about the birds!! This month as we celebrate World Migratory Bird Day on Saturday October 14th, millions of our spectacular winged friends take to the sky heading south to warmer climes. Many winter here, like other snowbirds we know; others are just passing through with Florida being a waystation along the way. But many don’t make it. Join us as we find out why…
The Effects of Light Pollution on Migrating Birds
An estimated one billion birds in North America are killed each year due to collisions with highly reflective windows. Brightly lit buildings often disorient birds migrating over urban areas at night, making window collisions even more likely. In 2021, Tropical Audubon Society launched Lights Out Miami, joining 45 other U.S. cities seeking to address the problem.
Tropical Audubon’s Brian Rapoza will describe ways that ordinary citizens can get involved in this initiative, including volunteering to collect bird collision data in their neighborhood or implementing window collision reduction strategies at home.
Brian Rapoza has served as Tropical Audubon Society Field Trip Coordinator since joining the TAS Board of Directors in 2001. In this role, he leads birding field trips throughout Florida, the U.S. and the Neotropics. Brian is the author of Birding Florida, a bird-finding guide to more than 200 locations throughout the state. Since 2001, he has also served as the Christmas Bird Count compiler for both Miami and Coot Bay/Everglades National Park. Until his retirement in 2018, Brian was an environmental science teacher, outreach specialist and internship coordinator at MAST Academy on Virginia Key.
