More than 1,000 birds injured or killed over the weekend in Chicago after flying into buildings

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More than 1,000 birds were injured or killed in building collisions over the weekend in Chicago, according to a report.

The Chicago Bird Collision Monitors, a volunteer-led conservation group working to protect migratory birds in the Windy City, were downtown Saturday and Sunday to rescue injured birds and document those that died, organizers told Fox 32 Chicago.

Each year, more than 100 million birds fly through Chicago as part of their seasonal migration, according to Chicago’s Lincoln Park Zoo. However, many of the feathered creatures run into trouble thanks to city skyscrapers with transparent windows.

Advocates warn that many of the city’s buildings have hard-to-see windows with transparent or reflective glass, which can be difficult for birds to see. Some reflective surfaces can also look like trees or the sky to birds.

“Major events like this occur because Chicago is a major migratory path for millions of birds,” Annette Prince, the director of Chicago Bird Collision Monitors, said in a statement.

Sometimes birds strike buildings at speeds of 30 mph, causing them to suffer extensive injuries or die as a result.

Meanwhile, advocacy group Bird Friendly Chicago has been calling for the passage of a proposed Bird-Friendly Building Design Ordinance, which would establish bird-safe standards for some new construction projects in the city.

Bird-safe measures can include patterned glass, exterior screens and other treatments that make windows appear visible to birds.

The measure was introduced by Alderman Maria Hadden, who represents the 49th Ward on Chicago’s north side, back in March. The proposal has moved from the Rules Committee to the Zoning Committee, which is revising its language. It was not immediately clear what its next steps are.

In October 2023, nearly 1,000 birds died in a single night after colliding with McCormic Place Lakeside Center. According to the advocacy group, changes were made to the building after that made its windows more visible to birds — and reduced the number of collisions by 95 percent.

According to the zoo, volunteers with the Chicago Bird Collision Monitors collect upwards of 10,000 dead birds each year as a result of window collisions.

“Chicago must require that future buildings use bird-friendly building designs and materials so we do not add to the devastating toll existing structures take on bird life,” Prince said.

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