- More than 1,000 birds were injured or killed in Chicago over a single weekend after colliding with downtown skyscrapers, according to the conservation group Chicago Bird Collision Monitors.
- Chicago lies along a critical seasonal migration path for over 100 million birds annually, but transparent and reflective glass windows create severe hazards that frequently result in fatal strikes.
- Volunteers collect upwards of 10,000 dead birds each year from window collisions, which often occur at speeds of up to 30 miles per hour.
- Advocates are urging city officials to pass the proposed Bird-Friendly Building Design Ordinance, which would mandate bird-safe construction standards such as patterned glass and exterior screens.
- Supporters highlight McCormick Place Lakeside Center as proof of effectiveness, where window visibility updates implemented after a massive collision event in October 2023 reduced bird collisions by 95 percent.
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