For years, McCormick Place’s Lakeside Center stood at the center of a troubling reality: thousands of migratory birds were dying each year after colliding with its expansive glass façade. Located along the Lake Michigan shoreline — one of North America’s most active migratory corridors — the building’s reflective glass posed an invisible but deadly threat to birds navigating the urban landscape.
Today, that story has fundamentally changed.
Following the installation of Feather Friendly® bird-collision deterrent markers by NGS, bird deaths at McCormick Place have dropped by an extraordinary 95%, transforming the facility from a collision hotspot into a model for large-scale bird conservation.
From Crisis to Action
The urgency for change intensified after a mass collision event in October 2023, when nearly 1,000 migratory birds were found dead overnight around the Lakeside Center. The incident drew national attention and underscored what conservationists had long warned: untreated glass on large buildings can be catastrophic for bird populations.
In response, McCormick Place leadership partnered with wildlife experts, conservation organizations, and federal agencies to implement a proven solution — one that could be deployed at scale without compromising building aesthetics or operations.
NGS Delivers One of the Largest Bird-Safe Retrofits in History
During the summer of 2024, NGS served as the installing contractor for one of the largest bird-collision mitigation projects ever completed. NGS installed Feather Friendly® visual markers on nearly 120,000 square feet of glass, an area roughly equivalent to two football fields.
The Feather Friendly® system uses a precise pattern of small, highly visible dots that birds can detect and avoid, while remaining subtle and unobtrusive for building occupants and visitors. Proper installation is critical — and NGS’s experience working on complex, large-scale glazing projects ensured the system was applied accurately, consistently, and efficiently across the façade.
Measurable Results: 95% Fewer Bird Collisions
Monitoring conducted during the fall 2024 migration season revealed dramatic results. Compared to prior years, bird collisions at McCormick Place dropped by more than 95%, validating both the technology and the execution.
This outcome places the project among the most successful bird-collision reduction efforts ever documented and demonstrates what’s possible when building owners pair the right solution with expert installation.
A Model for Bird-Safe Buildings Nationwide
The success at McCormick Place has drawn praise from conservation groups and federal agencies, including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which has highlighted the project as a landmark achievement in urban wildlife protection.
More importantly, it provides a clear blueprint for other large buildings facing similar challenges. With the right planning, products, and partners, even the most complex glass façades can be made significantly safer for migratory birds.
Protecting Wildlife Through Expert Glazing Solutions
At NGS, this project reflects a broader commitment to improving how buildings interact with the environment — not just through energy efficiency and safety, but through responsible stewardship.
By serving as the trusted installer for Feather Friendly® at McCormick Place, NGS helped turn data into action and intent into impact — proving that meaningful environmental outcomes are achievable at scale.
Dealing with bird collisions at your properties? Contact us today to get started.
