12081 Every year, people around the country flock to parks, beaches, and ball games to celebrate Independence Day. Grills smolder. Pyrotechnics pop. But unless it’s done with care, all that partying can have unintended consequences. Around 16,000 fireworks displays light up the night sky on July 4th, according to an industry estimate. These fireworks can disturb or harm both pets and wildlife, including birds. “The noise and lights disorient them,” says 蜜柚APP Florida bird conservation director Audrey DeRose-Wilson. The booms and bangs risk driving off parents, leaving chicks exposed to predators and other threats, she says. “When they get scared, they lay down and hide, and they'll look for a place like a vehicle track or maybe a footprint,” she says. “Obviously those are bad places to be on a beach.” Recent data bear this out. As seen in a 2022 study in Europe, New Year’s Eve fireworks sent the heart rates of geese soaring for hours, a sign their...