A European island plunges into darkness for several nights. The reason is unusual.

Residents of Corvo, the smallest Azorean island, turn off street lights annually to protect fledgling shearwaters during their first flight over the Atlantic. This initiative, started in 2019, aims to prevent young birds from losing their way due to artificial lighting. The local community collaborates with the Portuguese Society for the Study of Birds (SPEA) to raise awareness about light pollution, which reportedly causes the death of around 1,100 seabirds annually in the Azores, Madeira, and Canary Islands. Volunteers participate in the 'SOS Cagarro' campaign to rescue lost birds. Corvo has also replaced street lamps with downward-facing LED lights that can be dimmed during the fledging season.