A local ordinance passed in Lake County, Illinois, is taking aim at one of the most worrying threats to declining birds: collisions with glass windows. More than a billion birds die in such collisions annually, contributing to the loss of 3 billion birds from North American populations since 1970. The ordinance is a national first and follows two years of collaboration between Lake County's Planning, Building and Development Department and American Bird Conservancy (ABC), which commenced after local bird conservation advocate Donnie Dann asked the county to consider adopting a bird-friendly building policy. The County Board, led by Lake County Board Member Paul Frank, wanted to see what actions the County could take to reduce the number of birds colliding with windows, understanding the importance of this issue and that "bird-friendly infrastructure is not just a win for the environment, but also for the community at large." What happened next is an inspiring example of what's possible when big thinking, bold ideas, and quick, collective action come together. Read all about it at https://abcbirds.org/news/illinois-home-ordinance/ (fb)

We need YOU on Thursday, May 22 from 12-1pm ET as we rally in support of federal government services at risk of being lost forever. Within two weeks, critical environmental monitoring activities, such as bird banding, breeding bird surveys, insect population monitoring, and more are set to be eliminated. Join ABC and conservation groups from across the U.S., along with speakers including renowned conservation leaders and authors Dr. J. Drew Lanham and Kenn Kaufman, to learn about the critical work of the USGS and urge your elected officials to save the Ecosystems Mission Area. Register to attend via the National Wildlife Federation: https://www.mobilize.us/nwf/event/790009/ American Fisheries Society, Ecological Society of America, The Xerces Society, SCB North America, The Wildlife Society, Entomological Society of America, Atlanta Botanical Garden, (fb)