The city of Phoenix and Audubon Southwest will launch the new Bird-Friendly PHX campaign Tuesday, Sept. 29 at the Nina Mason Pulliam Rio Salado Audubon Center, 3131 S. Central Ave. The free public event runs from 5 to 7 p.m. and will introduce residents to steps they can take to make Phoenix safer and more welcoming for birds.
Phoenix lies along the Pacific Flyway, a migration route stretching from Alaska into South America and used by millions of migratory birds. Bird-Friendly PHX focuses particularly on hazards created by urban development, including reflective or transparent windows and artificial nighttime lighting, which can disorient migrating birds and increase the risk of collisions. The campaign also encourages residents to add native plants that provide food and refuge for birds.
The Sept. 29 event will begin with an opportunity to learn about birds at Rio Salado before the campaign’s official kickoff. Participants will be invited to take the Bird-Friendly PHX pledge and learn practical measures they can use at home, including turning off unnecessary lights during migration seasons, closing curtains and blinds at night, making windows more visible to birds, and incorporating native plants into yards and patios.
