Jersey City Council Unanimously Passes the Bird-friendly Buildings Ordinance
(March 12, 2026)
On March 11, the Jersey City Council unanimously passed Ordinance 26-014, establishing bird-friendly design standards for new construction and certain major building projects across the city. The vote marks a major step toward reducing deadly bird-window collisions and making Jersey City safer for the millions of migratory birds that pass through our region each year.
Jersey City sits along the Atlantic Flyway, one of the world’s major migratory routes, and our buildings can pose a serious hazard to birds moving through the urban landscape. Glass can reflect trees, sky, and other habitat, creating an illusion of open space that birds cannot recognize as a barrier. Bird-friendly design helps address that threat before a building is constructed, using proven materials and design strategies that make glass visible to birds.
The ordinance is the result of years of work by local advocates, volunteers, city officials, and conservation partners. Jersey City Birds and Feminist Bird Club of Jersey City volunteers have documented bird-window collisions across the city, rescued and transported injured birds, and collected data that has helped demonstrate the need for action. Community members also sent emails, spoke at Council meetings, and repeatedly showed up in support of stronger protections. We are deeply grateful to Councilperson Eleana Little for sponsoring the ordinance, Mayor James Solomon for introducing it, the Jersey City Council for its unanimous support, and American Bird Conservancy for its technical expertise and partnership throughout the process.
Passing the ordinance is an important milestone, but it is only one part of making Jersey City safer for birds. We will continue working with residents, building owners, community partners, and city leaders to address collision hotspots, advocate for bird-friendly retrofits, and help our community understand how each of us can reduce threats to migratory birds. This victory shows what is possible when people come together to speak up for the wildlife that shares our city.
