Stadium Bird Study Takes Flight
TUESDAY, JULY 26, 2016
The exterior facade of the new U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis may have a deadly effect on birds.
To study the issue, the Minnesota Sports Facility Authority (MSFA) says it, along with the Minnesota Vikings National Football League team, will spend $300,000 on a scientific evaluation aimed at monitoring bird-window collisions at the new $1.1 billion home of the Vikings.
What a beauty! @usbankstadium @Vikings #openthegates pic.twitter.com/DbeBcoImg7
— HKS Architects (@HKSArchitects) July 21, 2016
Lead by Audubon Minnesota, National Audubon Society, University of Minnesota and Oklahoma State University, the study will begin in the spring of 2017, with a final analysis expected by 2019.
Bird advocates have long voiced concern over the glass facade and its potential impact on the Mississippi River migratory flyway, according to the Minnesota Star Tribune.
According to the building's architect, Dallas-based HKS, the structure’s exterior features 200,000 square feet of glass and glazed curtain walls along with zinc metal panels which will patina over time.
Study before Solution
“We are pleased to announce that we are collaborating with the Audubon on a study over four migratory seasons to determine if the stadium has a problem with bird migration,” said MSFA Chair Michele Kelm-Helgen. “If we identify that there is a problem, we can partner with 3M to provide a bird safe solution.”
Kelm-Helgen had initially rejected the idea of installing bird-safe glass, noting it would likely alter the planned reflective and airy aesthetic.
During a recent MSFA meeting, Kelm-Helgen said that construction crews had not observed birds hitting the glass windows during construction over the past year.
The Minneapolis skyline reflected in the new @Vikings @usbankstadium! pic.twitter.com/kJGKghUQbG
— HKS Architects (@HKSArchitects) July 22, 2016
But she agreed to a scientific study to see if a problem existed, before embarking on a solution. Vikings Vice President Lester Bagley added, “[W]e want to be good community partners, and this is an important issue.”
Migratory Analysis
The study will be designed “immediately,” officials said. Following its completion, researchers will recommend management actions to reduce bird-building collisions at the stadium.
Migratory birds such as hummingbirds, thrushes, warblers, and native sparrows migrate to or through Minnesota in large numbers and are known to be especially vulnerable to collisions, the bird advocates note.
“Window collisions are one of the leading causes of bird mortality and they are largely preventable,” said Joanna Eckles, Bird-Friendly Communities manager for Audubon Minnesota. “This study will help fill in gaps in our knowledge and continue to improve our ability to generate and promote solutions.”
By supporting scientific monitoring of bird collisions, the MSFA and the Vikings are contributing to the conservation of migratory birds by improving our scientific understanding of bird collisions, an emerging field of study in both the conservation and architecture communities, according to the National Audubon Society.
‘More Stalling’
Some wonder what took officials so long to act and worry the study will be “more stalling.”
State Sen. Scott Dibble suggests the installation of a protective film as well as the study. “Then we won’t have to kill any more birds in the meantime,” he told the Star Tribune.
The MSFA and the Vikings have also committed to participate in Audubon’s “Lights Out” program, joining many other iconic Twin Cities buildings in their effort to reduce collision risk by reducing light pollution during spring and fall migration.
The U.S. Bank Stadium was designed by HKS and built by Mortenson Construction. A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new venue was held Friday (July 22).
Tagged categories: Building facades; Building owners; Color + Design; Design; Glass; Stadiums/Sports Facilities
