CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — After the deaths and injuries of nearly 1,000 birds earlier this month at McCormick Place's Lakeside facility, the group Bird Friendly Chicago has called Chicago the city posing the greatest threat to migratory birds in North America.
“Millions of birds travel through our area each year [and face] the hazards of urban lighting and glass building designs,” coalition officials wrote. “The events at McCormick Place are not isolated or even that unusual. Many more birds already have and will continue to perish in Chicago.”
Bird Friendly Chicago called on all downtown and lakefront buildings to participate in the Lights Out program, which calls for light reduction from 11 p.m. through sunrise every night during migration seasons.
The group said bright interior and exterior lighting can disorient birds and guide them toward dangerous glass during their nighttime migrations.
Field Museum researchers, who contributed to a 2021 study from the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, found that darkening half of a building’s windows can lead to an 11-fold decrease in bird collisions.
Bird Friendly Chicago pointed out that the City approved bird-friendly design requirements for new construction, but they added that those requirements have not yet been implemented.
Fulfilling the “Lights Out” practice doesn’t necessarily mean flipping the light switch. Bird Friendly Chicago said drawing the shades can also make a difference.
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