Quigley Discusses Bird-Safe Measures at Loyola University Chicago

Press Release

Yesterday, U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05), a member of the House Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC), visited Loyola University Chicago to discuss migratory bird safety across the city and to learn what the university is doing to make buildings on its Lake Shore Campus more bird safe.

"Collisions with glass buildings claim the lives of thousands of birds each year in Chicago alone," said Rep. Quigley. "I am proud to see Loyola actively making changes to help create a safer environment for migratory birds here on Chicago's lakefront. Birds are beautiful creatures that are vital to our ecosystem and I am proud this major institution can be a leader in making architectural innovation safer for our wildlife."

Rep. Quigley's tour began with a visit to Loyola's Institute of Environmental Sustainability, where students and faculty researchers are working together to address the topic of bird safety. Rep. Quigley joined Loyola's Phil Hale, vice president for government affairs; Stephen Mitten, S.J., lecturer; and Reuben Keller, PhD, assistant professor, on campus to discuss the history of the university's efforts and research to protect migratory birds. One of the institute's key programs is the Student Operation for Avian Relief (SOAR), a student-led effort that tracks migratory birds, identifies injured species that need to be transported to local wildlife centers, and collaborates with departments across the university to reduce risks posed to birds flying on and near campus.

"We are proud of programs like SOAR that give our students hands-on experience in the field and allow us to identify creative solutions that will continue to allow species to flourish in and around our campuses," said Nancy Tuchman, PhD, founding director of the Institute of Environmental Sustainability. "We thank Rep. Quigley for taking the time to visit and for his interest in preserving biodiversity. We hope our research, and yesterday's conversation, is useful in guiding future efforts put forward by the SEEC."

Following his visit to the institute, Rep. Quigley then toured campus to see how Loyola has incorporated bird-safe practices and design materials into the architecture on campus. A key practice includes closing buildings' blinds and adjusting lighting at key times throughout the day to ensure birds can better see the buildings while in flight.

During migratory season, birds traveling north to south, or vice versa, often collide with tall buildings causing millions of bird deaths each year in the U.S. The city of Chicago is in the flight path of nearly five million birds, representing about 250 species. Collisions are caused by tall glass buildings, which attract birds because they see tables, chairs, and furniture as a place to rest on the journey. Collisions also occur at night, when bright lights confuse birds and cause them to fly into buildings. According to Chicago's Department of the Environment, tens of thousands of nocturnal migratory birds are killed by this phenomenon.

Last spring, Rep. Quigley introduced the bipartisan Federal Bird-Safe Buildings Act with Rep. Morgan Griffith (VA-09). The bill is designed to save the lives of millions of birds by calling for each public building constructed, acquired, or significantly altered by the General Services Administration (GSA) to incorporate, to the maximum extent possible, bird-safe building materials and design features.

Rep. Quigley is a stalwart supporter of our wildlife and the environment. As a member of the bipartisan Animal Protection Caucus, Rep. Quigley has maintained a 100 percent policy rating with the Humane Society of the United States, and was recently rewarded with the Legislative Leader Award. Since assuming his role as a member of the House Appropriations Committee, Rep Quigley has fought for increased funding for animal protections, including in the Animal Welfare in Agricultural Research Endeavors (AWARE) Act and the Horse Protection Act for the 2017 fiscal year. Rep. Quigley has also introduced the Great Lakes Fishery Research Authorization Act of 2016 to fund critical research at the Great Lakes Science Center. He has urged his colleagues in the House to put partisanship aside and craft America's first national energy plan to address climate change. Rep. Quigley has opposed the environmentally harmful Keystone XL pipeline and fought for increased protections against oil and gas drilling.

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