A Chicago community volunteer has called on city officials to adopt stricter building regulations aimed at reducing bird fatalities caused by collisions with glass structures. Jennifer E. Bell, a resident of the River West neighborhood and volunteer with Chicago Bird Collision Monitors, said that during peak fall migration, large numbers of birds are injured or killed after striking the city’s expansive glass buildings.

Bell reported recovering 20 dead birds and eight stunned survivors in a single morning across Fulton Market and River North areas, describing these figures as representative of a much larger citywide problem. Chicago’s location on the Mississippi Flyway, a major migratory route, combined with its dense concentration of glass façades, has made it one of the deadliest skylines for birds in North America. Studies estimate that nationally, up to one billion birds die annually from window strikes.

Proposed city legislation known as the Bird-Friendly Design Ordinance seeks to mandate the use of bird-safe building materials in new construction. Bell contended that concerns about the ordinance limiting housing supply or significantly increasing construction costs are unfounded. The ordinance would exempt smaller residential buildings such as single-family homes, townhouses, and low-rise multifamily units. Furthermore, she noted that integrating bird-friendly glass into larger developments typically adds less than 1% to construction costs while also reducing utility expenses by limiting solar heat gain.

Bell highlighted examples from other cities, noting that New York City implemented similar bird-safe glass requirements in 2021 without negatively impacting development activity. Locally, some major projects, including Bally’s casino and the Chicago Fire stadium, have voluntarily committed to bird-safe designs.

Critics of existing voluntary guidelines argue that these measures are ineffective because developers often exclude the lower 75 feet of buildings, where the majority of bird collisions occur. Bell emphasized that, like other safety standards, bird protection should be mandatory rather than optional to effectively address the issue.

With a City Council vote on the ordinance anticipated soon, advocates are urging policymakers to consider scientific data and public concern to enact regulations that promote sustainable and environmentally responsible urban development. Bell framed the decision as a choice about Chicago’s architectural legacy and environmental stewardship, calling on officials to take proactive steps to prevent further harm to migratory bird populations.