Light Pollution & Bird Migration

This website shares the research and artistic exploration I did on the topic of Light Pollution and Bird Migration for my Temporary Expert class at ITP.

Light Pollution is a serious environmental problem that alters our ecology and our experience of the night sky. Inhabitants of major cities often cannot see more than a few stars. More than just a cosmetic issue, Light pollution affects human circadian rhythms and has known health effects. Light pollution has also been shown to interfere with bird migration by diverting them from their normal flight path.

For this project I focused on Light Pollution and Bird Migration. Within this topic I experimented with lighting design and learned how properly positioned and designed lights can reduce the amount of light cast into the sky without negatively impacting the humans living on the ground. I also explored avian geospatial data and built an interactive map that shows which birds are most affected by light-polluted areas. I went to the park to go "birding" and learned how to use a compass to navigate using the earth's magnetic field. Building on my research, I designed an analogous "wildlife crossing" system for birds that can help mitigate the affects of light pollution.

Browse the site with the menu above to learn more about my work.