If you would like to receive messages regarding avian and other conservation issues on an irregular basis, you can be on an informal e-mail list by writing to Bill Mueller at iltlawas@earthlink.net

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Learn about the recent report, "State of the Birds", at http://stateofthebirds.audubon.org/

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News from the Bid Conservation Alliance:

"New Glass Windows May Help Reduce Bird Collisions

Organizations and individuals across the globe are working to address the

problem of millions of bird deaths at windows. Two initiatives are showing

great promise: The "Lights Out" efforts in Toronto, New York, and Chicago

have a proven track record of saving birds and saving energy, and the

introduction of a new type of glass that is more visible to birds could

further dramatically reduce the number of collisions.

The Bird-Safe Glass Working Group is a recently formed task force charged

with the goal of creating and promoting the development and use of a new

type of glass that will be transparent to people but visible to birds. The

group includes bird advocacy and conservation organizations from across

North America, as well as architects, planners, scientists, and glass

engineers working to find funding for the cutting-edge science that will

produce a long-term solution to this major threat to migratory birds.

Out of the working group the Bird Safe Glass Foundation (a new Bird

Conservation Alliance member) was formed to develop educational materials

for builders and consumers about the bird-glass issue. Recently New York

Audubon Society worked with the Bird-Safe Glass Working Group and the

Bird-Safe Glass Foundation to publish Bird-Safe Building Guidelines. This

document addresses new building construction as well as retrofitting old

buildings to be bird safe. It is available at www.nycaudubon.org

Toronto is a leader in mitigating bird collisions with glass—over 80

buildings are participating in the "Bird-Friendly Building Program"

(www.toronto.ca/lightsout/index.htm). In January 2006, the Toronto City

Council unanimously adopted a resolution that will protect migratory birds

through controlling light from buildings, public education, and bird

rescue. For all new buildings in Toronto, the resolution specifies "that

the needs of migratory birds be incorporated into the Site Plan Review

process with respect to facilities for lighting, including floodlighting,

glass, and other bird-friendly design features." For more information,

visit www.flap.org "

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News from PIF:

"PIF Landbird Database: The Partners in Flight Landbird Population

Estimates Database is now up on the PIF and Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory

web sites http://rmbo.org/pif_db/laped/ This database provides users

access to the estimates of landbird populations published in the North

American Landbird Conservation Plan, allows users to view and download

estimates for landbird populations at a variety of geographic scales, and

provides transparent access to the methodologies, assumptions, data

sources, and species-specific adjustment factors used by Partners in Flight

to create these estimates."

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Although you may have already heard about it, see a detailed online

description of the Bird Conservation Campaign of the Natural Resources

Foundation at

http://www.wisconservation.org/index.php?page=bird-conservation-campaign-2

This campaign supports many vital conservation initiatives benefiting

Wisconsin's birds. There is no better way to support bird conservation in

our state. Read more about it at the link above. Your participation can be

as simple as a donation, or as involved as participation in one or more of

the many programs described.

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