Birds

Purple Martins Call Nashville Home. Some Wish They Wouldn't
Each year, the city plays host to hundreds of thousands of birds on their way to and from South America.

Study: How Urban Redlining Impacts Bird Populations
A legacy of historic housing discrimination and disinvestment is having lasting effects on more than just human lives in cities.

Saving Birds By Design
Reflective glass high-rises kill millions of birds each year, but bird-friendly design can save birds and reduce energy consumption.

'Lights Out Philly' Initiative Will Save Birds From Building Collisions
More than 15 years of advocacy, and one particularly galvanizing bird kill event, have created the momentum necessary for widespread adoption of the Lights Out Philly initiative.

For the Birds: Why Designing for Birds is Good for Everyone
A new book spotlights how bird-friendly design makes for healthier and more pleasant cities for all species.

New York Largest U.S. City to Require Bird-Friendly Building Materials
The New York City Council approved Proposed Initiative 1482B by an overwhelming margin, ensuring bird-friendly design and construction practices in the largest U.S. city.

The Biggest Hazard to Birds in New York City—Buildings
In New York City, tens of thousands of birds die each year after colliding with buildings. Policy and design measures can make the city much safer for its feathered inhabitants.

Legislation Would Require Bird-Safe Designs for New Buildings
Chicago is the home of a political movement to protect birds from the hazards presented by glass-sheathed modern buildings.

U.S. Bank Stadium: Home to Super Bowl LII and a Death Trap for Migratory Birds
This isn't a joke about the Philadelphia Eagles. This story is about the deadly consequences of planning and architecture decisions.

Pigeon Spikes…on Trees
A developer in Bristol installed pigeon spikes on trees to keep bird droppings off cars.

Galveston Building Causes Bird Massacre
Galveston, Texas stands on the Gulf of Mexico and sits on the path of a number of bird migrations. 395 of those birds were killed Wednesday night striking a single building in the city's downtown.
Study Finds Economic Value in Urban-Dwelling Birds
Researchers at the University of Washington and Humboldt State University have produced evidence value added by birds in urban settings.
Scarecrows 2.0
A new Dutch invention uses lasers to scare birds away, intended to mitigate their interference with critical industries.
Seattle's 'Subirdia' Allows Birds to Thrive
According to a book by John Marzluff, "Welcome to Subirdia: Sharing Our Neighborhoods with Wrens, Robins, Woodpeckers, and Other Wildlife," Seattle's greatest diversity of birds lives in its suburbs.
Toronto Towers Not Exactly Birds' Best Friends
A lethal combination of a rapidly expanding modern skyline and the intersection of several major migratory flight paths have rendered Toronto one of the world’s most deadly cities for migratory birds, reports Ian Austen.
Architects Work to Design Bird-Friendly Buildings
Modern architecture's infatuation with glass, seen in sparkling residential and office towers rising in cities across North America, has been a bird killer of staggering proportions. Christopher Joyce profiles those trying to solve the problem.
Urban Noise Forces Birds to Change Their Tune
The amount of urban background noise is affecting the songs that birds sing to attract mates.
City of Crows
Crows are seemingly everywhere, including cities. A new book looks at the relationship between people and crows in urban areas and what it says about modern cities.
Houston Roadway Would Fuel Growth, Harm Migratory Birds
Plans to build a parkway around Houston will help ease traffic and spur growth in the region, but it will also run right through a key stopover point for millions of migrating birds.
Green Doesn't Mean Bird-Friendly
The FBI's Chicago offices are LEED certified, but the 10-story building is also a killer: at least 10 birds a day careen into its windows. A conservation group helped the Feds get bird-friendly.
Pagination
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research