Short video on reducing tower lighting costs

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Migratory Bird Program has created a product to both proactively work to meet industry needs and to help reduce bird collisions.

They have produced a video directly targeted to communication tower owners, the single most important stakeholder in the prevention of the impacts to migratory birds at the 160,000 communication towers across the country. By creating this communication product, they are working to proactively demonstrate how tower owners can reduce operating costs and increase safety along with protecting millions of birds each year through simple lighting changes.

Each year, nearly 7 million birds die due to night-time collisions with communication towers. Research has demonstrated that eliminating non-flashing lights on towers may reduce migratory bird collisions by as much as 70 percent while simultaneously reducing energy costs for tower owners. This means that exclusive use of flashing lights can save up to 4 million birds a year, adding up to hundreds or thousands of birds during the life of a single tower.

The program worked in partnership with several federal agencies to develop and implement actions that help avoid and minimize impacts to migratory birds from communication towers while simultaneously reducing tower construction and maintenance costs. These changes reduce construction and operational energy costs for tower owners, making it a win-win for industry and birds.

This video includes with interviews from tower owners who have changed their lighting. It provides instructions for owners on how to start the process, showcases the financial resources owners can save by making this switch, and celebrates the birds saved from collisions with towers.

To learn more about this effort and get additional information, please visit the communication towers webpage.