December 2023
A Top Ten List we are not proud to be part of: An article in the Smithsonian Magazine that reported on the disastrous morning of October 5, 2023, when almost 1000 birds died from window strikes at Chicago’s McCormick Place Lakeside Center, was #3 in that periodical’s Top Ten list of most read stories of 2023.
Read the article here
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December 2023
Article in The Guardian: US buildings kill up to one billion birds a year. These architects want to save them.
Read the article here
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October 2023
The American Bird Conservancy reports on the disastrous morning of October 5, 2023, when 1000 birds died in one night after colliding with a single Chicago building.
Read the article here
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October 2023
Chicago Sun-Times reports on the disastrous morning of October 5, 2023, when 1000 birds were killed in one night after colliding with Chicago’s McCormick Place Lakeside Center.
Read the article here
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February 2022
Bird-Safety Glass Act (HB 247) goes into effect in Illinois on January 1, 2022, for all Illinois state-owned buildings.
Read the article here
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March 2020
Chicago, IL (March 27, 2020) - In an important step toward a Bird Safe Building Ordinance, Chicago City Council passed ordinance O2020-136.
The ordinance amends the city’s Sustainable Development Policy to give greater weight to bird protection , “with the goal of reducing avian mortality and injury from circumstances that are known to pose a high risk to birds.”
Bird Friendly Chicago / Download Announcement
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April 2019
Chicago, IL (April 1, 2019) - Comprehensive study by Cornell Lab of Ornithology finds Chicago the most dangerous city for exposing migrating birds to the growing threat caused by light from large metropolitan areas.
In the words of the study, “The combination of large amounts of nocturnal illumination and their location in the most trafficked air space across the US elevate metropolitan Chicago, Houston, and Dallas to the top…. While all urban areas should take care to minimize ALAN (artificial light at night), our analysis indicates that actions taken in these particular cities would benefit the largest numbers of birds.”
Bird Friendly Chicago / Download Press Release
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January 2019
Chicago, IL (January 23, 2019)– Alderman Brian Hopkins (2nd Ward) introduced in Chicago City Council today the Bird Friendly Design Ordinance (O2019-320).
”This ordinance makes the powerful statement that as we build an ever more vibrant and dynamic city, we will do so in a way that minimizes our city’s negative impact on native and migratory birds.” - Ald Brian Hopkins
Bird Friendly Chicago / Download Press Release
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April 2019
As many as a billion birds are killed crashing into buildings each year — and Chicago’s skyline is the most dangerous area in the country
Chicago Tribune / Read Full Article
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April 2019
Editorial: Bird populations face other threats, including climate change and habitat loss, that are much harder to solve than lethally transparent windows. No one set out to build perfect bird death traps, but expanses of reflective glass have turned out to be just that. Giving winged creatures a helping hand is the right response.
Chicago Tribune / Read Full Editorial
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September 2018
Using historical records, radar and satellite data to monitor the intensity of light pollution, we have identified five cities that pose the highest risks to fall migrants — Chicago, Houston, Dallas, Atlanta and, of course, New York.
New York Times / Read Full Article
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May 2019
University of British Columbia buildings feature glass inscribed with text that is visually appealing to humans and visually “noisy” enough to divert birds, a grid of exterior screens, and a “living wall” of mesh screens with vegetation that prevents bird collisions.
Vancouver Sun / Read Full Article and see photos
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May 2016
Chicago is a dangerous place…..for migrating birds. But now scientists, architects, and dedicated volunteers are teaming up to make the city a leader in bird-friendly design and policy.
WTTW / Watch Full TV Segment
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October 2018
With millions of birds dying from collisions every year, it’s heartening to know that bird-friendly lighting and design options are emerging.
Bird Note / Listen to this 5-part series
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April 2018
Chicago building managers and owners can take pride in participating in the nation’s most successful light reduction program for migratory birds. Lights Out! Chicago asks buildings to turn off or dim bright antenna, rooftop and display lights from 11pm to sunrise every spring and migration season. This act saves the lives of thousands of birds that would otherwise be attracted from their nightly travels towards the confusing city lights.
BOMA/Chicago’s The Elevator Speech / Read Full Article
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August 2012
Shiny glass buildings are a hallmark of modern architecture, but for birds, that shimmer can be deadly. Every year, an estimated 100 million to 1 billion birds die by flying into glass windows. By studying how birds interact with buildings, architects and ornithologists are trying to create special features designed to keep birds alive.
Below, click around to see architectural features that can make buildings safer for birds — or more deadly.
NPR / Read Full Article
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April 2015
The yellow and black warbler had flown thousands of miles from Central America when it struck a building in the Loop.
Daily Herald / Read Full Article
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Fall 2018
As many as one billion North American birds die each year in after colliding with windows. Innovations can help them steer clear.
Audubon magazine / Read Full Article
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August 2018
Though we might not be able to reverse human development, we can be proactive about preventing bird deaths that results from our man-made obstacles. Below are three ways you can personally make a difference.
Audubon / Read Full Article
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Fall 2004
The solutions to help reduce daytime bird collisions center on how buildings are designed. While a large amount of reflective glass may be aesthetically pleasing, it is more harmful to our feathered friends. Designing buildings with birds in mind would be one small part of the larger movement toward “greener” building design and construction
Terrain.org / Read Full Article