SPRINGFIELD, IL (March 5, 2020) – Last week, the Illinois House State Government Administration Committee voted to advance HB 4476, the Bird Safe State Buildings Act. Audubon Great Lakes was at the Illinois State Capitol last Wednesday to give testimony in support of this important policy. This bill addresses the needless bird deaths by establishing guidelines for all future construction and renovation projects on state-owned buildings to reduce plain glass and make the buildings more visible to birds. Additionally, it would implement lighting standards, including the shielding of lights and reduction of exterior lighting, which are important to further reducing bird collisions with buildings at night.

The migration of birds is one of our nation’s great natural spectacles. Too often, however, these incredible journeys, which can cover thousands of miles a year, are cut short due to collisions with the built environment. Collisions with human-made structures is a leading cause of bird deaths in the United States. It’s estimated that up to 1 billion birds die each year from building collisions. However, incorporating bird-friendly design can reduce collision deaths by up to 90 percent. The Illinois Bird Safe State Buildings Act is an important step to protecting birds and we encourage Illinois House members to pass it. 

Read Audubon Great Lakes written testimony here: https://gl.audubon.org/sites/default/files/final_agl_testimony_il_bird_safe_state_buildings_2.26.2020.pdf