DNAinfo Chicago: Rep. Mike Quigley Renews Call for Bird-Safe Buildings

The following article appeared in DNAinfo Chicago on December 9, 2014. A link to the article can be found here.

By Benjamin Woodward

CHICAGO — U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley renewed his calls for federal legislation that would mandate public buildings use bird-safe designs and bird-saving tactics.

Following a report by DNAinfo Chicago about migratory bird deaths at Loyola University's lakeshore campus, Quigley said he'd renew efforts to get his bill, the Federal Bird-Safe Buildings Act of 2013, passed.

He introduced it in 2013.

"The single greatest man-made killer of birds is birds colliding with skyscrapers," he said in a phone interview. "We're losing about a billion birds a year."

The proposed law, currently stuck in a committee, would require each public building constructed, altered or acquired by the General Services Administration to incorporate bird-safe building materials and design features. The law would also encourage bird-safe practices, such as office workers closing their blinds at the end of the work day.

As the next congressional session begins next year, Quigley said he plans to up his efforts to get the bill passed — or attach the directives to another law.

"Whatever it takes," said Quigley, the former Cook County commissioner.

He said his office would also begin working with the birding community to ignite a grassroots effort.

Some of the buildings that would be affected in Chicago include the Everett M. Dirksen U.S. Courthouse, the William O. Lipinski Federal Building and the 11 West Quincy Court Federal Building.