Shield lights to reduce mortality from artificial lights
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Overall effectiveness category Unknown effectiveness (limited evidence)
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Number of studies: 1
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Effectiveness
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Certainty
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Harms
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Supporting evidence from individual studies
A replicated, controlled study at a resort on Hawaii, USA, in 1980 and 1981 (Reed et al. 1985), found that significantly fewer Newell’s shearwaters Puffinus newelli were found grounded under security lights on nights when twelve of the brightest lights had ‘hoods’ placed on them, compared to alternate nights when lights were not shielded (272 birds on 32 ‘shielded’ nights vs. 444 birds on 32 control nights). The reduction was greater in 1981 (52%) than 1980 (29%), possibly because peak shearwater fledging coincided with a full moon (and so higher ambient light) in 1980, but with a new moon in 1981. The shields reduced upwards radiation of light and during the experiment most other lights on the resort were permanently shielded.
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This Action forms part of the Action Synopsis:
Bird ConservationBird Conservation - Published 2013
Bird Synopsis