Ann Arbor asks owners of tall buildings to turn off lights to help migrating birds State of Michigan declares Safe Passage Great Lakes days to save birds Meredith Bruckner, Community News Producer, All About Ann Arbor Published: Tags: ANN ARBOR – During the spring and fall migrations, more than 250 birds migrate at night over Michigan. Most of the birds rely on the stars and moon to guide their path, but well-lit urban areas present a danger as they navigate in darkness. Brightly-lit tall buildings disorient the birds and some will circle these buildings until their either die from colliding with the structure or from exhaustion. According to scientists, hundreds of millions of birds die annually as a result of these encounters with tall buildings.