Innovative studies on the link between artificial night lights and seabird fatalities
With EU funding, the ECOLIGHTSFORSEABIRDS (Artificial night lights and seabirds: Solutions to a fatal attraction) project explored the long-term effects of various artificial night lights on seabird mortality. The particular focus was on penguins and a species of shearwater known as petrels. Project partners analysed records of birds grounded by lights or penguin attendance at breeding colonies documented by automated monitoring systems. A series of experiments tested the consequences of metal halide, high-pressure sodium and light-emitting diodes on the number of attracted and grounded shearwaters, and the outcomes of light intensity and light colour on penguin behaviour during colony attendance. In addition, they conducted fieldwork in Australia and the Canary Islands to study shearwater flight characteristics over lit areas, and body condition and plumage maturation of rescued birds at rescue campaigns. Findings show that birds grounded by lights come from the nearest colonies, and experience similar conditions to those that reach the ocean successfully. These birds have a lower survival rate over time when exposed on roads, especially those with high traffic intensity with high speed limits. Researchers demonstrated that metal halide increased the mortality risk compared to light-emitting diodes and high-pressure sodium lights. As a result, high-pressure sodium lights should be used in areas where the light-induced mortality of petrels needs to be reduced. Experimental tests reveal that artificial lighting does not have a significant impact on colony attendance patterns of fledgling penguins. However, lighting should be minimised to avoid modifying natural light levels since other potential effects may arise. Insight gained from ECOLIGHTSFORSEABIRDS will contribute to the design of public street lighting on islands where seabirds and humans coexist, and to artificial lighting used to enhance nocturnal wildlife-watching. It will also help to reduce the massive mortality events of petrel fledglings stranded by lights.
Keywords
Artificial night lights, seabird, ECOLIGHTSFORSEABIRDS, penguins, petrels
