APPLETON (NBC 26) — An estimated one billion birds die each year in the United States after colliding with buildings and windows. Now, Appleton leaders are exploring ways to make the city safer for birds passing through during migration.
A new resolution calls for studying how changes to nighttime lighting and building design could help prevent those collisions — an issue District 2 Alderperson Vered Meltzer says he has witnessed firsthand.
"I know that I see dead birds during the bird migration season and, you know, they're right by big windows," Meltzer said.
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Meltzer co-sponsored the resolution with Alderperson Alex Schultz, building on previous efforts to explore bird-safe building practices in Appleton.
The proposal would direct the city's Sustainability Advisory Panel and appropriate city staff to research potential solutions and bring recommendations back to the Common Council.
Among the options being considered are reducing or dimming unnecessary nighttime lighting during spring and fall migration, introducing bird-safe features at city facilities and exploring possible glass standards for future private development.
The resolution also calls for evaluating a voluntary "Lights Out" program, similar to initiatives in Chicago and elsewhere in Wisconsin, that encourage residents and businesses to turn off unnecessary lights when birds are migrating.
Steve Schrage, chair of Appleton's Sustainability Advisory Panel, says the city would need to balance those efforts with the safety of residents.
"We don't want to affect safety, public safety by any means, but we want to look and see if there's anything we can do that we can reduce some of that light, and still keep people safe," Schrage said.
Schrage says potential solutions could include automated lighting controls or changing how exterior lights are directed to reduce light pollution without compromising visibility.
Beyond protecting birds, Meltzer says the changes could also benefit taxpayers by reducing energy consumption and operating costs.
"What's good for the birds is good for humans as well," Meltzer said.
For now, the resolution does not establish any mandatory lighting restrictions or bird-safe glass requirements. Instead, it asks city officials to determine which approaches would be practical, affordable and effective for Appleton.
The Sustainability Advisory Panel is scheduled to review the proposal Tuesday, Oct. 13, before it could eventually move to the Common Council for consideration.
Schrage says developing recommendations could take several months, with more information potentially available in spring or summer 2027.
