Bird-friendly rules extended to new residential construction in unincorporated Lake County

Requirements to protect local and migratory birds from crashing into glass or transparent surfaces in unincorporated Lake County have been extended to include new residential building construction.

Changes to the building code approved Tuesday by the Lake County Board require that at least 80% bird-friendly glass be used on exterior surfaces from the ground level to 100 feet.

The rules take effect July 12 and also apply to accessory structures such as free-standing glass walls, railings, windscreens, greenhouses and similar features.

Approval of the residential component is the culmination of a three-tiered approach that began in May 2024 with approval of a bird-friendly building policy for Lake County government buildings and was followed in August for commercial and nonresidential buildings.

As it did last year, the board took the action while symbolically recognizing World Migratory Bird Day. Lake County is part of the Mississippi Flyway, considered one of the busiest migratory corridors in North America. Visit birdcast.info.

“This is a really exciting day for bird advocates everywhere and for the county,” said county board member Paul Frank, who became aware of the issue about 10 years ago and has spearheaded county bird protection efforts.

Every year, more than a billion birds collide with glass in the United States alone, according to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Birds don’t see glass like we do, the agency says, and don’t regard it as a barrier to avoid.

“Our bird-friendly design policies are the result of the tireless advocacy and education efforts of birders and conservation-minded leaders in our community,” Frank said in a press release announcing the measure.

He said he was proud to have played a small part in making Lake County a national leader in enacting policies to protect the environment and bird populations.

The county’s planning, building and development department will work with builders and residents at the design and permit stages to ensure compliance and manage costs with what is described as a flexible ordinance.

Frank said the design elements are inexpensive and easy to incorporate. Costs depend on the building materials, according Tammy Chatman, chief communications officer.

When bird-friendly strategies are incorporated early in the design process for new homes there may be no cost increase or only a modest one, she said.

County officials say dotted film applied to front facing windows and cord hung every four inches on the south side of the Central Permit Facility in Libertyville have reduced fatal bird strikes by 50% and 80%, respectively.

The administrative building in Waukegan also has been retrofitted with bird-friendly improvements and the new Regional Operations and Communications Facility on the Libertyville campus was built with bird-friendly design.