Chicago's 2020 bird-friendly design ordinance MCC 17-4-1606 mandates collision-deterrent glazing on new and significantly remodeled large buildings. Wild birds remain protected statewide under the Illinois Wildlife Code 520 ILCS 5 and the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
MCC 17-4-1606, adopted by the City Council in 2020 and effective through Department of Planning and Development guidelines, requires bird-friendly materials on the first 36 feet of facade and on glass adjacent to green roofs in new construction over a defined size. Acceptable treatments include fritted, etched, or UV-patterned glass, external screens, or angled louvers. Existing buildings remodeling more than 50 percent of facade glazing fall under the same standard. Illinois Wildlife Code 520 ILCS 5/2.2 and 5/2.33 prohibit taking, possessing, or destroying nests or eggs of native birds without an IDNR depredation permit. The federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 USC 703) layers on top, and Lights Out Chicago seasonal lighting reductions are voluntary but encouraged.
Permit violations of MCC 17-4-1606 block certificates of occupancy and trigger fines up to $1,000 per day under MCC 17-17. Harming protected birds is a Class B misdemeanor under 520 ILCS 5; MBTA penalties reach $15,000 per bird.
Chicago, IL
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