CHARLOTTE (AP) — The Mecklenburg Audubon Society wants building operators in Charlotte to reduce the lighting at night to save migratory birds.
The Charlotte Observer reported the Audubon Society says many migratory birds fly at night, using the moon and stars to guide them.
The Audubon Society says the lighting on the skyscrapers confuse the birds. Many hit windows as they see the sky, water or trees reflected in the glass. Other birds circle buildings until they drop with exhaustion. Audubon volunteers have found four dozen birds on Charlotte streets in the past month.
The Audubon Society has not yet asked building owners to turn off the lights. But Paige Layne with Duke Energy says turning off the lights could help reach a goal of cutting energy use by 20 percent.