Doylestown Borough wants residents and business owners to cut or dim their outdoor lights overnight through Nov. 15 to help millions of migratory birds safely pass through the region.

The borough's Environmental Advisory Council organized the voluntary program, called "Lights Out Doylestown," asking participants to turn off or reduce exterior lighting between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. during the fall migration window. The initiative was reported Aug. 24 by Patch, citing the EAC's outreach to the community.

The timing matters. Tens of millions of birds pass through the Philadelphia region each fall and spring, many flying at night, according to Lights Out Philadelphia. The birds rely on natural light cues to navigate, and artificial lighting can pull them off course, leaving them exhausted or sending them into fatal collisions with windows and building facades.

The problem is not limited to Center City skyscrapers. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reports that most deadly bird-building collisions happen at homes and structures shorter than four stories. Nationwide, collisions are a leading factor in the loss of 3 billion birds across North America since 1970. In October 2023, more than 1,000 migratory birds died in a single night after hitting one building in Chicago.

Doylestown joins more than two dozen communities across the country that have adopted Lights Out programs, according to the USFWS.

The EAC, chaired by Grant Alger as of April 2026, has been central to the borough's broader environmental planning. The borough created a sustainability coordinator position in 2025, the third such role in Bucks County, and filled it with Grant Rowe, who works with the EAC and the Shade Tree Commission on initiatives tied to the Doylestown Borough Climate Action Plan.

For residents, the ask is straightforward: turn off or dim exterior lighting between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. through Nov. 15. Business owners can help by switching off storefront and sign lighting after closing.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service notes that reducing nighttime light also cuts energy use and saves money. The program runs through Sunday, Nov. 15.