From the Audubon Society:
“Glass kills birds—… Decades of research by ornithologist Daniel Klem estimates up to a billion avian mortalities from North American buildings each year…
…the best-known causes of window strikes are skyscrapers and other large urban buildings encased in glass, which birds don’t perceive as solid objects.
But despite its scope, moves to solve the problem have been comparably small and slow.
…What has been needed to help make sweeping changes and hopefully inspire other states and cities to follow suit is federal legislation. Now, that could finally be happening.
Last week, Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) introduced a bird-safe-buildings bill in the Senate that would mandate all new federal renovations or construction to make at least 60 or 90 percent of their surfaces non-glass (except on historic landmarks). Any glass that is used would have to be fritted, screened, shaded, or UV-reflective, qualities proven to reduce bird collisions.
Other conditions include shielding outdoor lights and regularly surveying for stunned or dead birds…
The House counterpart to the Federal Bird Safe Building Act was drawn up by Rep. Mike Quigley (D-IL) …If the bills make it through both chambers of Congress, federal buildings could provide a model for states and cities to develop their own bird-safe legislation…
The bills aren’t done deals—they still have to survive various committees…
http://www.audubon.org/news/proposed-federal-law-could-save-countless-birds-death-glass