PC: Lily O'Leary ‘Golden-Crowned Kinglet’
By Lily O'Leary
At 6 am on a cold fall morning, I woke up to do something I had never done before. I was going bird watching for the first time, and while I was excited to try something new, I worried how I would fare without binoculars or the ability to distinguish a thrush from a sparrow.
I found solace in knowing that, while I felt like an outsider to my latest hobby, the birds I came to observe were newcomers themselves. Many of these birds, like hermit thrushes and white-throated sparrows—as I came to differentiate—are passerby species, only stopping in Chicago as a layover on their migration to warmer climates. More than 250 species pass through our city on their southbound trek, relying on our remaining green spaces to rest and refuel (“Lights”). Some are the size of ping-pong balls with beady black eyes and colorful crests, like the golden-crowned kinglet. Some are regal and tall, like the rare sandhill crane. Some are cunning and resourceful, like the black-crowned night heron, which roosts above the red wolf enclosure at the Lincoln Park Zoo (“Black-Crowned”). From sparrows to scoters, flycatchers to finches, ducks to dark-eyed juncos, our city is a stopover for many.
Although it is a privilege to host such avian diversity, Chicago has been one of the deadliest cities for migrating birds. Mass collisions with glass-paned buildings like the McCormick Place Convention Center—where 1,000 birds died in a single night last year—are a sobering reminder of the challenges migratory birds face (Kuta).
Add to that habitat loss from urban development, predatory stray cats, and extreme city heat, and the odds become increasingly stacked against these passerby species. In Chicago specifically, bird fatalities have been frequently linked to rodent poisoning, as species like owls and hawks, which feed on rats, are unable to detect the toxic substances in their prey (Kalra). Migratory birds also face less obvious threats, like entanglement in holiday decorations and run-ins with the invisible support wires of cell towers (“Entanglement”).
Fortunately, conservation efforts are gaining momentum to make Chicago a safer stopover. Initiatives like the Lights Out Program encourage downtown buildings to turn off or dim their lights to reduce bird collisions (“Lights”). Additionally, there is a growing push for bird-friendly architecture, replacing glass with features like shutters, screens, and murals (Bird-Friendly). Planting native species is another vital step, providing essential food and shelter for birds during their migration. Local nonprofits, such as the Chicago Audubon Society’s Bird Collision Monitors program, are also dedicated to rescuing injured birds through their rescue hotline and partnerships with wildlife rehabilitation centers (“Mission”).
As winter sets in, I miss seeing the migratory species on my birdwalk outings. Yet their absence offers an opportunity to reflect on Chicago’s responsibility to be a shared space for all species. Whether it’s dimming the downtown lights, planting native species, supporting conservation organizations, or simply pausing to appreciate the journey of a bird passing through, by making space for these birds, we not only protect them but enrich our own lives.