Dazzled to death

An Auckland doctoral student is exposing the threat to our seabirds posed by bright lights.

- Veronika Meduna

Every year, on September 11, New York City turns on two columns of intense blue light. Known as the Tribute in Light, the beams stand in for the fallen Twin Towers in a commemoration of the attacks in 2001.

But the timing coincides with the northern autumn bird migration and, in recent years, the lights have been switched off for brief periods to ease the passage for millions of birds that would otherwise become disoriented, at risk of fatal exhaustion. A few minutes is enough for those caught in the cone of brightness to regain their bearings.

Other lit-up urban landmarks in the flight paths of migrating birds across the globe are starting to do the same, and Ariel-Micaiah Heswall hopes Auckland will soon follow suit.