Avian enthusiasts in Chicago are coming together to address the deadly risk that high-rise buildings pose to migrating birds. Every autumn and spring, volunteers committed to rescuing injured birds encounter hundreds of avian casualties on the streets of Chicago that have collided with buildings.
Annette Prince, the director of the Chicago Bird Collision Monitors, can often be seen walking through downtown Chicago in the early hours, carrying a neon-green net. Spotting a small yellow bird on the concrete, she deftly nets it, places it in a paper bag labelled with relevant details, and notes that it must have struck a glass window pane. These rescue efforts are a regular sight during the bird migration seasons.
Last autumn, a tragic incident where 1,000 migrating birds perished in a single night after hitting the glass exterior of McCormick Place, a convention centre along Lake Michigan, served as a stark reminder of the dangers posed by urban structures. In response, the facility recently installed bird-safe window film on one of its buildings, demonstrating a $1.2 million initiative to mitigate bird collisions.
For Chicago’s bird collision rescuers, the priority is not just rescuing injured birds but also working towards preventing such incidents in the future. By documenting bird fatalities and injuries, volunteers like Prince strive to raise awareness among officials and advocate for improved building designs and lighting.
Injured birds are taken to local wildlife rehabilitation centres for treatment and recovery. At the DuPage Wildlife Conservation Center, veterinarian Darcy Stephenson recently tended to a yellow-bellied sapsucker with a wing fracture caused by a window collision. Despite the challenges, the majority of treated birds at the centre are successfully rehabilitated and released back into the wild.
The efforts of avian enthusiasts and wildlife rehabilitation centres in Chicago exemplify a compassionate response to the risks that migrating birds face in urban environments. By combining rescue operations with advocacy for bird-friendly urban planning, these volunteers are striving to make a difference for the avian population navigating the skies above the Windy City.