New York City

Proposed NYC Bill Would Make New Buildings Use Bird-Friendly Glass

Before its redesign, the Javits Center was one of the biggest bird death sites in New York

What to Know

  • A new bill would require 90 percent of glass on new and altered buildings to be treated to reduce the bird strikes.
  • The bill would require all glass windows, balcony railings and corners to be glazed so that it is more visible to birds.
  • A similar bipartisan bill was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives in January to reduce bird strikes with federal buildings.

Birds are dying by the hundreds of thousands every year by flying into New York City windows. A new bill proposal wants to put an end to that.

New York City Council Member Raphael Espinal Jr. introduced a new bill Thursday that would require 90 percent of glass on new and altered buildings to be treated to reduce the bird strikes.

The bill would require all glass windows, balcony railings and corners to be glazed so that it is more visible to birds. According to the National Audubon Society, bird-safe glass costs 5 percent more than standard glass.

"There’s always the question of how much this is going to cost," Audubon New York policy manager Erin McGrath said. "We are seeing that there are cost effective ways to implement it."

New York City Audubon estimates that 90,000 to 230,000 birds die annually in New York City due to collisions with buildings. 

The Javits Center in Hell's Kitchen has already implemented bird-friendly measures. Before its redesign, it was one of the biggest bird death sites. 

"After the renovations, collisions decreased by 95 percent," said McGrath. "Bird safe glass does have an real impact when it comes to bird collisions."

A similar bipartisan bill was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives in January to reduce bird strikes with federal buildings.

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