F.L.A.P.

[Catherine]

F.L.A.P. ---- Fatal Light Awareness Program


Every year birds in North America and South America fly long distances to their nesting grounds in Northern Canada. It is an arduous journey. For centuries they did it safely, barring normal hazards.
Now with our cities growing at a rapid rate light pollution has become a serious problem. Many of the big high rises leave their lights on all night. These buildings have big smooth glass windows and birds don't see the glass they see an open space. In some places the light confuses them and they get lost in it. Millions of birds have died from impact with these buildings. They may be the latest design, but for birds they are a death trap.
F.L.A.P. is an organization trying to help. They keep track of the deaths and volunteers collect the bodies. Maybe some day we can force building owners to do something.
http://www.flap.org/
Sometimes they find birds that are hurt and can save them.
It is heart breaking to find a beautiful bird who was only trying to get home to its nesting grounds, and instead is dead at the base of some great big building that humans have built.

http://songbirdsos.com/
They have done an amazing documentary about the desperate plight of songbirds. If you are able to see the documentary it is well worth the time. If we don't change our ways we will lose something very precious. I am not sure the ecosystems we live in will survive the damage.