08/17/2026
Nature’s Greatest Air and Water Show is Beginning!
More amazing than the aircraft that zoom over our city once a year – the Chicago region is about to be visited by millions of migratory birds flying hundreds and sometimes thousands of miles to reach their wintering grounds as summer comes to an end.
They travel with astounding navigation using the moon, stars, magnetic fields and geographic landmarks to find exactly where they need to go without compasses or Google maps.
These birds depend on the rivers, lakes and natural areas of our area to rest and refuel on their journeys, but unfortunately Chicago has been ranked as the most hazardous place for migratory birds in North America. Tens of thousands of birds from more than 200 species – most whose populations are in severe decline – will be harmed when they encounter deadly glass structures at our homes and businesses.
Although Chicago witnesses one of the greatest migratory bird spectacles in the country, it will not establish bird-friendly building design requirements with an ordinance that mandates no new buildings or renovations will be added to the already monument list of dangerous existing structures.
A proposed ordinance for the mandatory use of bird-friendly building designs and materials (that many other cities – including New York, San Francisco, Toronto, and locally Skokie and Evanston have effectively implemented) could be up for a vote in the coming months.
Will Chicago continue to be the place birds come to die or will we stop allowing new hazards to grow with every construction project?
Tell your city officials that protecting birds with effective bird-friendly building design requirements matters to you and should matter to anyone who appreciates their beauty and the critical role they play in a healthy environment we all rely on.
Go to https://chicagocollisionscoalition.org/ to contact your city officials and let’s take an important step in guaranteeing we will welcome and protect nature’s annual air and water show for years to come!
