(WFRV) – Scientists are forecasting extremely high bird migration across Wisconsin overnight, prompting a statewide Lights Out Alert.
Researchers with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Purdue University predict approximately 17.6 million birds will fly over Wisconsin tonight. Nationwide, an estimated 383 million birds are expected to migrate across the lower 48 states.
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Residents are encouraged to turn off non-essential outdoor lights from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. tonight — and ideally throughout peak migration season, which runs through mid-June.
Scientists say about 80% of migrating birds travel at night. Artificial light can disorient birds, drawing them into urban areas where they face hazards such as buildings and windows. Collisions with windows are estimated to kill up to 3.5 billion birds annually in the United States and are considered a major factor in the nearly 30% decline in North American bird populations since 1970.
Lights Out Alerts are issued when forecasted bird traffic ranks in the top 10% of migration nights — typically eight to 10 nights per season. Those nights account for roughly half of all seasonal migration traffic.
In Wisconsin, alerts are available for Appleton, La Crosse, Madison and Milwaukee, among 216 cities nationwide. Officials encourage residents outside those cities to sign up for alerts from the nearest metropolitan area.
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Lights Out Wisconsin, formed in fall 2025, aims to reduce light pollution during critical migration periods. Peak migration in Wisconsin typically begins during the first week of May and lasts about two weeks, slightly later in northern portions of the state.
Forecasts are updated every six hours, and additional information about migration intensity and alerts is available through participating research organizations.
