Every summer, fledgling Wedge-tailed Shearwaters are testing their wings in preparation for their first solo flights. Not all of them look like their sleek, strong parents who have learned to survive for years on the open ocean. Some still bear the fluffy, downy feathers that kept them warm as chicks. These same fluffy feathers now hamper them, making flight difficult. Inexperienced and handicapped by poor aerodynamics, many fledglings are confused by bright lights along the shoreline and collide with telephone and power lines. Some are killed by cars as they lie along the roadside following a collision.

You can help Wedge-tailed Shearwaters survive their first few awkward months of life by turning off your outdoor lights at night, especially if you live near the shoreline.

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