CHICAGO— Chicago’s Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority announced Tuesday that it had finished installing bird-safe window film on the McCormick Lakeside Center building in time for the fall 2024 migration season.

“I’m thrilled that the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority did the right thing and prioritized migratory bird protection,” said Tara Zuardo, a senior advocate at the Center for Biological Diversity. “This should be a clarion call to building owners around the country, as well as federal agencies, that it’s time to do the right thing and make windows and buildings safer for migratory birds.”

Earlier this month, the Center and 33 other bird conservation organizations from around the country submitted a petition urging the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to create a permitting system requiring building owners nationwide to modify glass facades to prevent bird collisions.

On Oct. 4, 2023, more than 1,000 migrating songbirds died after flying into McCormick Place on a single night. The Center, other conservation organizations and members of the public urged the authority to immediately take steps to reduce bird collisions. These included implementing a complete “lights out” policy during migration season and committing to apply one of the many well-tested permanent products that can be installed to prevent birds from flying into building glass.

As a result of recommendations from meetings with local, national and international bird and animal advocacy groups, this summer the agency installed bird-safe window film that is etched with tinted dots and designed to help birds distinguish between windows and nature. According to the authority, the film adheres to two football fields’ worth of windows.

Experts estimate that up to 2,000 birds die every year after flying into McCormick Place alone, and more than 1 billion die in building collisions around the country. This has been occurring for decades. In addition to installing the window film, the authority also reported that it has begun shutting off all unnecessary external lights at McCormick Place and enacted a policy requiring drapes to be closed overnight to prevent light from escaping.

North America’s bird populations have declined by nearly 3 billion birds since 1970, according to a landmark study.