More Than 1,000 Birds Injured or Killed in Chicago-Area Building Collisions Over the Weekend
CHICAGO — More than 1,000 birds were injured or killed after colliding with buildings in Chicago and Evanston, in Cook County, Illinois, over the weekend.
According to the Chicago Bird Collision Monitors (CBCM), volunteers worked across downtown Chicago and Northwestern University's Evanston campus on Saturday and Sunday to rescue injured birds and document those that died. Annette Prince, the organization's director, said in a statement that major events like this occur because Chicago is a major migratory path for millions of birds.
Birds migrate through the Chicago region each spring and fall. Reflective glass can mirror trees and sky, while transparent windows can be difficult for birds to see; birds strike the glass at speeds of about 30 mph, suffering fatal injuries or trauma that requires medical care.
Bird Friendly Chicago is calling for passage of the proposed Bird-Friendly Building Design Ordinance, which would set bird-safe standards for qualifying new construction. Introduced by Ald. Maria Hadden in March, the measure moved out of the Rules Committee in July and is now in the Zoning Committee, where its language is being revised. Prince said Chicago must require future buildings to use bird-friendly designs and materials. After nearly 1,000 birds died in a 2023 collision event at McCormick Place, visible markers were added to the building's glass, and collisions there later dropped by 95%. (GSM, based on FOX 32 Chicago)
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 清晨从 Lakefront Trail 的 Morgan Point 附近远眺芝加哥市中心天际线（资料图，2025年摄）。DimiTalen 摄，CC0，经 Wikimedia Commons 发布。/ Morning view of the downtown Chicago skyline from near Morgan Point along the Lakefront Trail, 2025. Photo by DimiTalen, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
