Avian Migration and Artificial Light at Night: Impacts and Solutions

Zoom talk: May 1st at 6:30 pm - Zoom link to be added (check back later)

Avian migration is a complex phenomenon that is particularly difficult to observe as it occurs primarily at night. In North American 80% of our migratory bird species complete their spring and fall migrations at night. There are many benefits to flying at night which have led to the evolution of nocturnal migration. These benefits include lower wind speeds, higher humidity, fewer active predators, and darkness which provides access to celestial cues that birds use to navigate on these journeys. While the night in which birds evolved to migrate was dark, humans have proliferated light at night across the landscape, which impacts migratory birds in a variety of ways. Dylan and Kelley will discuss the spectacle of avian migration, how we study it at night, and how artificial light at night can be particularly harmful to birds in migration. Dylan and Kelley will also touch on how light pollution has negative impacts on more than just our feathered friends and share recommendations for how you can make your night lighting more ecologically friendly!

Presenters: Kelley Boland and Dylan Osterhaus, New Mexico State University

Kelley Boland- Kelley Boland grew up in San Diego, California, and earned her BS in Field & Wildlife Biology from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. Before beginning her graduate studies, Kelley worked in wetland restoration, outdoor education, and wildlife rehabilitation. In fall 2021, she began her MS at New Mexico State University in Dr. Martha Desmond’s lab, studying avian mortality on the White Sands Missile Range. After graduating, Kelley is excited to pursue a career in avian conservation and advocacy. 

Dylan Osterhaus- Dylan Osterhaus is from Topeka, Kansas and graduated from Emporia State University in Kansas with a BS in Biology in 2019. Following his graduation from Emporia State, Dylan moved to Iowa State University where he pursued an MS in Fisheries Biology and studied a federally listed minnow species. Dylan finished his MS in 2021 and shifted his research focus from fish to birds as he moved into a PhD position at New Mexico State University. At New Mexico State, Dylan studies avian migration in the American Southwest using a variety of methods including bioacoustics and weather radar. Following his PhD, Dylan hopes to pursue a career in academia where his research will focus generally on the conservation of migratory birds.