CHICAGO (October, 2024) — After receiving nearly 50,000 emails from In Defense of Animals supporters, McCormick Place Lakeside Center has taken a crucial step in safeguarding migratory birds by installing bird-safe window film on its iconic glass walls. This renovation addresses the soaring number of bird deaths caused by window collisions at the convention center, which claimed the lives of over 1,000 birds in a single night last fall.
“Windows collisions rank among the deadliest threats to birds,” said Katie Nolan, Wild Animals Campaigns Specialist for In Defense of Animals. “With wild birds in steep decline — over 3 billion lost in the past 50 years — we are delighted that the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority has taken a crucial step by installing bird-safe window film at McCormick Place. This sets a new standard for all North American buildings to follow. Building managers can save millions by installing bird-safe window film and turning off lights.”
McCormick Place, situated along the Mississippi Flyway — a crucial migration route — has long been a site of concern for bird collisions, particularly during spring and fall migrations. In Defense of Animals and its Interfaith Vegan Coalition witnessed the devastating impact firsthand when attending a conference at McCormick Place in 2023.
“The bird deaths we witnessed at McCormick Place were heartbreaking,” said Lisa Levinson, Campaigns Director for In Defense of Animals. “While a member of our Interfaith Vegan Coalition was able to rescue one injured bird, many more had perished in a single night. We couldn’t be happier that McCormick Place has stepped up to protect these vulnerable birds.”
The Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority, which manages McCormick Place, announced the $1.2 million usd/ $1.62 million cad project to install bird-safe film has been completed, covering two American football fields’ worth of glass / or approximately 1.3 Canadian football fields’ worth of glass. The newly installed bird-safe window film is a critical part of reducing bird collisions, along with measures such as dimming or turning off lights during peak migration seasons. These actions help protect migratory birds, many of whom face deadly threats from light pollution and reflective windows.
McCormick Place’s efforts align with broader city initiatives like Lights Out Chicago, which aims to reduce bird deaths by encouraging buildings to dim their lights during migration periods. The installation of bird-safe window film will go a long way in ensuring that migratory birds continue to travel safely through the city. For the Silo, Jarrod Barker.