Silent Skies St. Louis in the News
St. Louis Urban Ecology Resources
The city of St Louis is active in revitalizing itself. There has been a resurgence in the downtown area in the arts as well as conservation. In addition to SIlent Skies St Louis and The Lights Out St Louis program that came from Silent Skies St Louis, there is a link to other Urban Ecology Resources on the city website. This year the talk of the town was the 250 nests of wading birds spotted along a single residential block in the summer of 2019. St Louis is desginated an Urban Bird Treaty City.
Watch Birds Migrate Through Gateway Arch National Park
Blog / Gateway Arch / St. Louis
01 May 2020
As the air gets warmer and the days grow longer, the likelihood that you’ll see birds migrating through St. Louis, heading north for the summer, also increases.
“More than 325 different species of birds migrate along the Mississippi Flyway, a north and south corridor that goes through the middle of North America,” says Erin Hilligoss-Volkmann, director of education for Gateway Arch National Park. According to Audubon, nearly half of North American bird species and about 40% of waterfowl spend their lives within the Mississippi Flyway.
Ranger Erin says birds are able to navigate and find food, water and shelter by using the Mississippi River and its tributaries as guides during much of their journey. “Ruby-throated hummingbirds have recently arrived in the St. Louis region, heading to their breeding grounds after spending the winter in Central America or Mexico,” she says. “Many species of warblers are moving north after overwintering in Central America, including an Audubon ‘priority bird,’ the prothonotary warbler.”
Priority bird species are birds of significant conservation need, for which our actions, over time, can lead to measurable improvements in status.
Ranger Erin encourages bird watchers to visit the North Gateway on the grounds of Gateway Arch National Park to see migrating purple finches, American goldfinches and ground-nesting killdeer. American white pelican squadrons circling about can be seen at sites upriver.
Silent Skies Virtual Mural
You can learn more about some of the birds migrating through the Gateway Arch National Park grounds with this video of the “Silent Skies” mural, brought to you by St. Louis Arts Chamber of Commerce. The mural is a 678-piece collection of 8-inch by 8-inch squares of all the endangered birds of the world. Due to the current health situation, the mural is now virtual and available in a video format.
Here are other ways to learn about bird migration:
- The St. Louis Arts Chamber of Commerce’s Nature and Birds with Origami video presentation shows you how to make origami birds.
- Visit the Lights Out St. Louis page of the St. Louis Arts Chamber of Commerce to find out ways you can help birds from home.
Arch Exterior Lights Off
From May 1-14, the Gateway Arch’s exterior lights will be turned off in order to avoid the possible disorienting effect of the monument’s upward lighting on birds that migrate at night. The exterior lights will be turned back on beginning Friday, May 15. The monument will be lit nightly through the summer.
Other organizations around St. Louis that are turning their lights off for bird migration include The Planetarium, Saint Louis Zoo, Metropolitan Square Building, Bank of America Plaza, Ameren, Nestle and Colliers International.
Dark Sky parks shed light on glorious outdoors, a different kind of pollution
- By Jim Winnerman Special to the Post-Dispatch
- Apr 12, 2020
“Now until mid-June the chapter is supporting a “Silent Skies/Lights Out” initiative sponsored by the St. Louis Arts Chamber of Commerce. The program encourages building owners and the general public to turn off or to reduce the use of outdoor lighting to help birds safely pass through St. Louis during their spring migration.”
Science Center
The St. Louis Science Center created a video about Silent Skies and our partners efforts during this migration season. Check it out!
Explore St. Louis
The Daily Explorer – May 8, 2020.
Take flight with the St. Louis Region as the St. Louis Arts Chamber of Commerce explores conservation through the arts! Enjoy the Silent Skies Mural virtually with original music score by Thomas Beckman. You can also create bird origami while learning about what we can do from home now to support nature and birds during their migration.
Earth Day 365
HEC TV
Learning to fold origami birds while learning how to support them in the wild.