Letter

13 October 2025

To all concerned,

The Lawrence Bird Alliance strongly objects to the installation of a sports complex next to the Baker Wetlands Complex in Lawrence KS. We are alarmed at the prospect of any development next to the wetlands. These wetlands, located in the historic Wakarusa River floodplain, are critical resting habitat for migrating birds which travel through Kansas in the central migratory flyway on both their spring flight to their northern breeding grounds and fall flight to the southern wintering lands.

Birds migrate primarily at night, navigating by the moon and stars. Artificial lights wash out the brilliance of these natural lights in the nighttime sky and disorient the birds. In addition to increased collisions into buildings, disorientation causes the birds to miss critical resting habitat (Horton et. al 2019 Bright lights in the big cities: migratory birds’ exposure to artificial light. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment). As the birds are flying thousands of miles, these rest stops are critical for birds to renew their energy to continue their long journeys.

Aside from these pass-through migrants, many migratory birds, which are federally protected, make the Baker Wetlands their summer home, notably Yellow-breasted Chats (which are particularly disoriented by bright lights and a species in decline); Orchard Orioles (also in decline); Common Yellowthroats (which nest only in wetland areas); Bell's, Red-eyed, and Warbling Vireos; Summer Tanagers;  Sedge and Marsh Wrens (which nest only in wetland areas and are in notable decline); and Eastern Meadowlarks, a Common Species in Steep Decline (Cornell Lab of Ornithology) due to loss of habitat and breeding success. In the fall large colonies of Red-winged Blackbirds and Common Grackles (also a Common Bird in Steep Decline) roost in the wetlands. Artificial lighting also disrupts the natural behavior of insects which are a major food source of many of these birds.

The Baker Wetlands are a popular birding spot, with many birders logging their observations into Cornell Ornithology Lab’s on-line eBird website. Thus we have records of almost 300 species recorded in the wetlands, and the months they are seen. This includes approximately 30 duck and geese species, 50 wading and shorebird species, and 30 warbler species, in addition to other migratory birds. The lights and noise from a sports complex adjacent to the wetlands will affect not only these birds, but the tranquility that birders, hikers, and others enjoy in this natural environment.

Please contact us to further discuss these effects of urban development next to wetlands.

Sincerely,

Lawrence Bird Alliance Board of Directors 2025-2026

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Debra S. Baker, President

Kelly Barth

Roger Boyd

Jim Bresnahan
Lynn Byczynski

Pam Chaffee

Kristine Latta

Joseph Rogers 

Sandy Sanders
Fran Soto
Samantha Stopple

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See also:  www.audubon.org/our-work/cities-and-towns/lights-out www.lightsoutheartland.org