What Is Wildlife Friendly Lighting?
New Zealand is world-renowned for its breath taking landscapes - from rugged coastlines and native forests to starlit skies stretching over quiet rural towns. But these wild and beautiful places aren’t just scenery, they’re home to a rich diversity of wildlife, much of it unique to Aotearoa. As our towns and cities expand and the glow of artificial light reaches further into the night, we're beginning to understand just how deeply this affects the natural world around us.
Urban growth and development bring with them an increase in outdoor lighting - from streetlights and signage to security and landscape illumination. While these lights are designed with people in mind, they can have unintended consequences for wildlife. Harsh, poorly directed, or overly bright lighting can interfere with nocturnal animals’ ability to hunt, migrate, pollinate, or navigate - disrupting ecosystems in ways we’re only just beginning to understand.
Wildlife-friendly lighting is a simple but powerful way to reduce our impact.
What Is Wildlife‑Friendly Lighting?
Wildlife friendly lighting is all about preserving the natural rhythms and behaviours of animals by being more intentional with how we use artificial light. It starts with controlling the direction of the light - using fittings that aim it downward rather than allowing it to spill upwards into the sky or across surrounding habitats. This helps avoid disorienting birds, insects, and other nocturnal species that rely on darkness to navigate or hunt.
It also means being mindful of brightness. Rather than flooding outdoor areas with intense light, wildlife sensitive lighting uses just enough illumination for safety and function - no more than necessary. This approach is less disruptive to nearby ecosystems and reduces unwanted glare.
The colour of the light matters too. Many species are especially sensitive to blue and short wave white light, which can interrupt their internal clocks and behavioural patterns. Warmer tones, such as amber or warm white, are much gentler on the environment.
Finally, timing plays a big role. Lighting that’s controlled by motion sensors, timers, or smart systems ensures it’s only on when it truly needs to be - reducing both energy use and ecological impact.
The Impact of Lighting on Wildlife and Ecosystems
Artificial lighting can have a surprising impact on the natural world, especially after dark. Many animals rely on darkness to carry out important behaviours like hunting, navigating, or finding mates. When we fill the night with bright lights, it can throw these natural rhythms off balance.
Seabirds and bats can become disoriented by artificial lights, sometimes leading them away from their usual routes or nesting areas. Insects - especially pollinators like moths and beetles - are drawn to lights, often circling them until they’re too tired to continue. This not only puts the insects at risk, but can also affect the plants and animals that rely on them.
The type of light we use matters, too. Daylight, cool white and blue-rich LEDs tend to be the most disruptive, as they can interfere with animals’ internal clocks. Warmer colours like amber or soft white are generally much gentler on wildlife. In fact, research from Christchurch has shown that bright white LEDs attract far more insects than older streetlights - a clear example of how our lighting choices can ripple through local ecosystems.
By being a bit more thoughtful about how and where we use light, we can help reduce these impacts and keep our environment healthier for the species we share it with.
How Kiwi's Can Embrace Wildlife Friendly Lighting
Even small changes to the way we light our homes, gardens, and streets can make a big difference for the animals we share our environment with. Here are a few simple, wildlife-friendly lighting practices that can help protect night-time ecosystems while still meeting our everyday needs.
Install Fixtures with Downwards Light
Fully shielded outdoor lights direct light downward, where it’s needed, instead of allowing it to scatter into the sky or surrounding habitats. This helps protect nocturnal animals - like birds, bats and insects - from becoming disoriented or disturbed by stray light. It's one of the most effective ways to reduce the impact of artificial lighting on local wildlife.
Go Warm with Your LEDs
Choose warm white or amber LEDs (3000K or less), which are much less disruptive to animals than cool white or blue-rich lights. Many species, including insects and birds, are sensitive to blue wavelengths, which can disorient them and interfere with navigation, feeding, and mating behaviours. Warmer lighting creates a gentler night-time environment for wildlife. A very specific narrow wave length of 590 nanometres is the most ideal lighting to use for wildlife friendliness.
Use Smart Controls
Adding motion sensors, timers, or dimmers helps ensure lights are only on when necessary — reducing constant light exposure for nearby wildlife. Animals need periods of natural darkness to rest, forage, and move safely. Smart lighting helps restore that darkness while still giving you light when you need it.
Keep It Low and Local
By placing lights low to the ground and aiming them precisely — such as along paths or around entryways — you reduce unnecessary glow into nearby trees, gardens, or water sources where wildlife may be active. This helps protect sensitive habitats and minimises disruption for creatures that rely on natural night cues.
Support Dark Sky Areas
Dark sky reserves and sanctuaries offer vital refuge for nocturnal wildlife, free from the glare of modern lighting. By supporting these areas or following these lighting practices at home, you help extend their protective impact - giving birds, insects, and other species a better chance to thrive in their natural environments.
Visit sites like darkskynz.org or dsnnz.org to learn more.
A lot of the concepts of Wildlife Friendly lighting also flow into 'Night Sky Friendly' lighting, which is all about keeping out beautiful New Zealand skies pristine. If you'd like to learn more about Night Sky Friendly Lighting, you can check out our blog here.
