Lake County officials celebrated the installation of bird-strike-mitigation enhancements at the Libertyville Central Permit Facility Friday afternoon, part of broader efforts to make county facilities more bird-friendly.
The enhancements included covering 1,300 square feet of glass with white dot decals, and installing rows of hanging cords along another glass wall. The total project cost less than $15,000 according to county staff.
According to a new release, the locations of the two installations were determined by a study of the facility, with the bird-friendly modifications added to high-strike zones.
Lake County lies within the path of the Mississippi Flyway, a major bird migratory route that sees millions of birds each year. Collisions, including against glass, are estimated to account for one billion bird deaths a year in the United States, according to the release.
“Birds do not see glass the way humans do, making it an invisible threat, and the reflection of trees in glass further confuses birds leading to additional collisions,” the release said.
Lake County staffers had monitored and surveyed the area around the Central Permit Facility about bird strikes, and researched options for retrofitting the building to be more bird-friendly. The dot pattern breaks up the glass’ reflection, increasing visibility for birds. The hanging paracord, spaced only a few inches apart, deters birds from attempting to fly through.
According to the release, research has shown birds will not fly through spaces less than two inches high or four inches wide.
Taylor Gendel, senior planner with the Lake County Planning, Building and Development Department, said the designs were also chosen because they were some of the most cost-effective. The paracord was an especially easy option for any residents wishing to make their own windows more bird-friendly, with the cord readily available online.
County Board Chair Sandy Hart praised the project, saying it is “critically important to do our part to protect the birds as they start that very perilous journey.”
“Incorporating bird-friendly building design may prevent the death of thousands of birds every year,” she said. “I’m proud that Lake County is making these simple, cost-effective improvements and continues to be a leader in protecting wildlife.”
The new installations make the CPF the first Lake County government building outfitted with bird-friendly installations, but it won’t be the last. The Regional Operations and Communications Facility, currently under construction nearby, is being built from the ground up as a bird-friendly facility. The administrative building in Waukegan had a recent entrance renovation, and is planned to be retrofitted with bird-friendly improvements.
The County Board approved amendments earlier this year to its building code to mitigate bird collisions with glass on new and renovated non-residential buildings in unincorporated Lake County, as well as a policy for newly constructed county government facilities.
County Financial and Administrative Committee chair and board member for District 11 Paul Frank said Lake County is, “committed to reducing manmade threats to our bird populations.” The board, he said, has passed “one of the region’s first bird-friendly building design ordinances.”
“This is an exciting step today, as we lead by example adding low-cost decals to our own buildings in Lake County,” he said.
