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Illuminating Perry’s Monument
Every spring and fall, billions of birds migrate between their wintering and breeding grounds. Many species travel vast distances, reaching northern United States and Canada in the spring and spending the winter in Central and South America. It has become increasingly clear that artificial light is recognized as one of the most important obstacles that birds face during spring and fall migration.
Bird migration occurs mostly at night. Light tends to attract birds, disorient them, and can cause fatal collisions with buildings or failure to find suitable stopover sites in between migratory flights. Major cities across the United States have begun to decrease light pollution during the spring and fall to lessen their impact on migratory birds, but even in suburban and rural areas, light poses a risk that could be minimized by reducing outdoor lighting. National monuments and parks often use artificial light to increase visibility for visitors, but these lights also impact nocturnal wildlife, particularly birds.
Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial is located on South Bass Island in Lake Erie and was built to honor the U.S. naval victory that occurred on September 10, 1813. The monument and surrounding park are primarily focused on preserving the history of the War of 1812 and the peace that resulted when the war ended. The monument rises 352 feet and is illuminated by five spotlights; initially each spotlight contained two 1000-watt bulbs. However, in order to decrease costs and power usage, each spotlight currently contains two 400-watt metal halide and sodium bulbs, giving the spotlights an overall amber tone. There is also a dome light and a United States Coast Guard navigation light atop the monument. Both the dome and the navigational lights likely have a negligible impact on birds.
As Lake Erie is a large geographical barrier, coastal and island habitats are busy stopover sites resulting in a high concentration of migrating birds. The lighted monument at the neck of the island lies in the path of these birds and thereby increases the number of birds at risk.
Artificial light has become increasingly prevalent as urban development expands across the United States. It is estimated that 25% of land on earth is now impacted by light pollution, and that percentage increases every year. It is well-known that birds are disoriented by artificial light. Especially during nights with low visibility caused by fog or precipitation, birds are attracted to sources of artificial light, causing them to fatally collide with illuminated buildings or become exhausted by flying around light sources. Fatalities caused by light pollution occur year-round, but peak during spring and fall migration, when many birds fly long distances at night.
Bird populations have been declining at a rapid pace around the world with estimates that the total North American bird population has been reduced by 29% since 1970. Even small conservation efforts have the potential to make a large impact when focused on migration, which has become more hazardous due to increasing construction. To reduce these impacts, Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial utilizes a light management strategy intended to decrease the number of birds affected by the monument lights, while preserving the cultural significance of the monument. By turning off the memorial lights two hours after sunset during May and September, which are peak migration months, risks to birds from memorial illumination is minimized. On nights when the visibility of the monument is especially important to honor historical events such as national holidays or the anniversary of the Battle of Lake Erie, lights may be left on.
The mission of the National Park Service is to preserve the natural and cultural resources for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations. As such, Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial is doing its part to protect the birds moving across the island and through the park during migration.
The previous piece is published in this month’s Put-in-Bay Gazette. The Gazette has been producing incredible independent Put-in-Bay island news for over 40 years. If you have any interest at all in what is happening on South Bass Island, we urge you strongly to subscribe to the Put-in-Bay Gazette. One-year online subscriptions are only $15, and print subscriptions are available as well. To subscribe please click here.
