Migrating, thousands of birds crash into the windows of tall buildings every year. It’s a tragedy that cities around the globe are grappling with, and it’s one that has proven difficult to tackle. Chicago and New York, however, have gone to great lengths to create a solution for the problem.
Chicago and New York are two of the most populous cities in the United States, and both are also home to some of the tallest buildings in the world. With this comes the risk of bird collisions, and it’s something that the cities have taken very seriously. In Chicago, the city has implemented a unique solution to the issue. Known as the Chicago Bird Safe Building Initiative, the program is designed to help protect birds from crashing into the windows of tall buildings.
The program focuses on the design of the buildings, and it requires that a bird-friendly design be incorporated into the building’s windows. This includes the use of bird-safe glass, which is a special type of glass that is designed to be visible to birds. This glass is designed to be visible to birds from the outside, but it is also designed to be reflective from the inside, which means that birds can see their reflection and be less likely to fly into the windows. The glass also has an ultraviolet coating, which helps birds to better detect the glass.
In addition to the use of bird-safe glass, the Chicago Bird Safe Building Initiative also encourages the use of other bird-friendly design features. This includes the installation of external and internal “frosted” glass, which can help to reduce the visibility of the windows. It also encourages the use of external and internal window decals, which can help to make the windows more visible to birds from the outside.
New York has also taken steps to help protect birds from crashing into windows. The city has implemented a program called the New York City Bird-Friendly Building Initiative, which is very similar to the program in Chicago. This program also focuses on bird-friendly design features, such as the use of bird-safe glass and the installation of external and internal window decals.
The initiatives in Chicago and New York have been successful in reducing the number of bird collisions. In both cities, the number of bird collisions has decreased significantly since the implementation of the programs. This decrease in bird collisions is a testament to the effectiveness of the programs, and it’s a great example of how cities can work together to create solutions to environmental problems.
By implementing bird-friendly design features, cities can help to protect birds from crashing into windows. The programs in Chicago and New York are a great example of how cities can work together to create a solution to this problem. It’s a problem that has proven to be difficult to tackle, but with the right solutions in place, it can be done.