Christmas lights can cause a ‘false dawn’ effect for birds

It’s the season of twinkling Christmas lights, but for birds, that can lead to something known as the ‘false dawn’ effect.

Birds need plenty of energy to survive the colder months (that’s why it’s so important to know what to feed birds in winter), but Christmas lights can disrupt their sleep cycles during the longer nights and force them to spend energy out of hours.

I spoke to wildlife experts to find out exactly what the false dawn effect for birds is, the risks it carries, and how to avoid triggering it.