New York City passes legislation to prevent bird strikes on buildings

New York City recently passed legislation aimed at preventing bird collisions with buildings.

The new regulation is believed to be the most broad-reaching bird-friendly building policy in the country. It requires that 90% of the external building envelope for the first 75 feet of new construction and major alterations be made of bird-safe materials.

Bird-safe options include glass treated with ceramic frits, etchings or frosted patterns. These approaches can make glass appear as an obstacle to birds, but still provides transparency for humans. The legislation also requires that bird-friendly materials be installed on the entirety of the first 12 feet of a building’s exterior walls that are adjacent to a green roof system, and on the entirety of bird-hazard installations such as glass awnings, handrails, windbreak panels and acoustic barriers, no matter the height.

Several California cities including San Francisco and Oakland have adopted similar rules.