If a picture is worth a thousand words – then what about a poignant, painful, award-winning photograph? For Patricia Homonylo, it may just be one of the most powerful messages of her activism career. Patricia Homonylo was the Overall Winner of the Bird Photographer of the Year 2024 award, and also received a Gold Medal in the “Conservation” Category, thanks to “When Worlds Collide”
A photojournalist and passionate conservationist, Patricia Homonylo has taken the cause of light pollution to heart. Her collaboration with the Fatal Light Awareness Program (FLAP) was essential to developing the message behind her masterpiece.
What Made the Photograph So Powerful?
At first glance, When Worlds Collide presents a symmetrical construction, miles away from what we usually relate to “wildlife images.” But a closer look will reveal the painful truth: the harmonious circles in her picture are made up of 4,000 dead birds, arranged neatly by species, all casualties of window collisions around Toronto.
Gruesome? Maybe.
Necessary? Definitely.
This is why dozens of volunteers contributed thousands of hours to make this picture possible. Thanks to the award, they hope many more people will be prompted to learn about FLAP, its mission, and the effects of harmful lights in cities across North America.
What’s The Cause Behind the Fatal Light Awareness Program?
FLAP is a nonprofit organization founded in 1993 in Canada with a mission to research, document, and address the issue of migratory bird collisions with buildings and other man-made structures. In 2000, the program was adopted in the United States as the “Lights Out” initiative, focusing on raising awareness and encouraging building owners to reduce nighttime lighting during bird migration seasons.
One of FLAP’s largest ongoing projects is to monitor the incidence of bird-building collisions. According to their statistics, these accidents cost the lives of approximately 25 million birds every year – and often, they are directly linked to light pollution. Glare, light trespass and skyglow all play their role in disorienting migratory species, driving them to fly straight into any nearby glass panel.
To combat this, FLAP seeks to educate the public on the impact of their décor choices – much like we do at DarkSky Texas! They also rescue and rehabilitate the birds they can, while pushing for newer construction standards that will prevent further injury.
As the organization devoted to curbing light pollution here in Texas, we’re proud to support the vital work of the Fatal Light Awareness Program and the U.S. offshoot – the Lights Out Program. By shining a light on this issue, we can all play a part in creating a safer, more bird-friendly urban environment.
