Austin, TX
Bird-friendly buildings: Austin looking at improving designs, codes
Austin looking into bird-safe building codes
Austin is seen as an environmentally-friendly city, but the building code doesn’t necessarily reflect that when it comes to the safety of birds. FOX 7 Austin’s Emma Bowen intern Kevin Vu has the story about how Austin is working on changing that.
AUSTIN, Texas – Birding is a popular hobby for many Texans.
In Central Texas, you can spot birds exclusively seen in this region of Texas, such as the Carolina Chickadee and the endangered Golden-cheeked Warbler. However, many bird enthusiasts are concerned over future bird populations’ safety, and it’s not just from predators, but buildings.
Texas is home to three of the top ten deadliest cities for birds — Houston, Dallas and San Antonio — according to a 2019 Cornell study.
While Austin was designated a “Bird City” in 2023 by Texas Parks and Wildlife and Audubon Texas for the city’s bird-friendly initiatives, Austin has not implemented any bird-friendly building design codes.
Common Yellowthroat. Photo by Jason Garcia.
For the local bird conservation group Travis Audubon Society, they believe it’s important to have these designs, as Austin is at the heart of the North American Central Flyway — the migration pathway for hundreds of species of birds passing through Texas, Kansas, Colorado, Wyoming and Montana — especially since nearly one billion birds collide with glass in the United States every year.
“Since we are located in the Central Flyway where there are so many birds traveling through while they migrate, it’s important that we adopt more bird-friendly practices and friendly building designs,” said Caley Zuzula, program manager for the Travis Audubon Society. “So, when they do come into the city, they aren’t so likely to become victims to a building collision or some other sort of urban threat.”
How does glass impact birds?
Heidi Trudell, a consultant and researcher on preventing bird collisions, said, unlike humans who can tell what glass is, for birds, glass is entirely invisible. As glass is a dynamic material that can reflect a bird’s environment, birds are unable to see the glass, causing them to collide with the glass.
“To them, they’re either seeing reflections of habitat — it can be anything from a tree, a shrub, a chunk of grass — basically anything that a bird can interact with or that might offer shelter or food, can be an attractant to them,” Trudell said. “If they’re seeing a reflection of it, or they’re seeing it through glass that’s transparent, they have no context for seeing the glass and don’t comprehend that a physical barrier exists.”
Heidi Trudell spoke during a June 5 Environmental Commission meeting to talk about bird-friendly building designs.
Trudell, who also spoke during an Environmental Commission’s meeting in June, said when birds collide with glass, especially at top speeds, the consequences vary. Some birds instantly die from colliding with glass. However, those who survive end up sustaining injuries such as blunt force trauma, brain hemorrhaging, collarbone injuries and even concussions.
“Essentially, a bird colliding with glass is the equivalent of an athlete without a helmet going 30 miles an hour into a brick wall face first,” Trudell said. “Even when it is a mild concussion, anytime a bird is on the ground, it’s vulnerable. So, the longer it’s stunned, the more likely it is to be grabbed by a cat, a dog, a fox, raccoon, like even deer (and squirrels) will eat birds on the ground.”
A yellow-billed Cuckoo, often seen in Texas. Photo by Jason Garcia.
Trudell also noted the height of buildings plays a role in bird collisions. She said people have a misconception that skyscrapers and high-rise buildings cause bird collisions, when low-rise buildings for commercial or campuses cause 56% of bird collisions, residential buildings cause 44% and less than 1% of high-rise buildings cause bird collisions.
“Most birds are active pretty much wherever their food is,” Trudell said. “So, while there are a lot of birds active above the treeline, the main threat of bird collisions occurs within the first 100 feet of the ground, depending on where your mature tree canopy is.”
What are bird-friendly building designs?
To prevent further bird collisions, the Travis Audubon Society is advocating for the city of Austin to implement bird-friendly building design policies. Bird-friendly building designs are created to be visible to birds. Trudell said this can involve different approaches — from small patterns such as dots etched into glass to using different glass materials such as UV-patterned glass, opaque and translucent glass and even angling glass differently — all of which warn birds before they collide.
“The point is to communicate to the bird that you can’t fit through here,” said Maura Powers, a board director for the Travis Audubon Society. “(The patterns) have to be pretty narrow and there has to be an endpoint.”
Block 185 or The Sailboat Building is currently occupied by Google. A spokesperson for Pelli Clarke & Partners, the architecture practice who worked on the building, said the building has low glass reflectivity and frit to prevent bird strikes. P
Trudell said there are many examples of bird-friendly buildings across the world. The University of Alabama at Birmingham’s genomics building has small dot patterns etched into the glass two inches apart making a DNA pattern, the Statue of Liberty Museum in New York City and even Block 185 in Austin, currently occupied by Google.
“Given its location adjacent to a creek and urban watershed, as well as its 35-story glass structure, Block 185 had the potential to pose a major risk to local bird populations, including the vulnerable Green Heron and Great Egret,” said a spokesperson for Pelli Clarke & Partners, the architecture practice behind Block 185. “The glazing contains elements that prevent bird strikes while remaining invisible to the naked eye, showing how bird friendly glasses present an eco-friendly way to preserve the bird population without compromising a project’s design or the views it’s intended to offer its occupants.”
What’s being done?
While Austin is a designated “Bird City” for implementing bird-friendly initiatives such as the Lights Out Resolution and the World Migratory Bird Day Resolution, the Travis Audubon Society said there’s much more work to do. In a June meeting, Austin’s Environmental Commission voted to form a working group to review policies used in different cities and how Austin’s buildings can be bird friendly.
“I do want to echo that as a birder and someone who actually takes people out professionally and guides bird trips, I am seeing less species,” said Jennifer Bristol, a commissioner for Austin’s Environmental Commission. “And it’s noticeable every time we go out. It’s sobering, it’s definitely sobering. Whereas you might have used to see hundreds of them, maybe (now)you see 10 or 12 in a season. So it is real, it’s happening right before our very eyes, and we can do something about it.”
The working group will consist of people such as commissioners Jennifer Bristol, Peter Einhorn, Mariana Krueger and Dave Sullivan. While representatives from the Austin’s American Institute of Architects chapter, the Travis Audubon Society, the Design Commission and the Animal Advisory Commission will be asked to join the working group.
A Bank Swallow. Photo by James Giroux.
Examples of current building codes with bird-friendly building designs in mind include San Francisco and New York City. New York City requires all new buildings to use more than 90% bird-friendly materials in the first 75 feet of the building, while San Francisco requires all new buildings, additions and significant renovations to have more than 90% of the glass in the first 60 feet to be bird-friendly.
Travis Audubon Society and Trudell said costs to replace or even install bird-friendly glass doesn’t have to be expensive, especially if designers think of bird-friendly designs early on.
While Austin’s Environmental Commission said they expect to have a plan by next April, the Travis Audubon Society said not only do they hope the city of Austin will adopt bird-friendly building codes to help the bird population in Austin, but also investigate how lighting and even landscaping can affect bird populations in urban areas.
“There’s no way to overemphasize how dire the situation is for bird populations right now,” Trudell said.
AUSTIN, Texas – Texas Softball, the nation’s No. 2 seed at the 2026 NCAA Tournament, opens the Austin Regional vs. NEC Tournament Champion Wagner at 3 p.m. CT Friday, May 15, at McCombs Field. The game will stream on ESPN+ with Cat Osterman (analyst) and Alex Loeb (play-by-play) on the call. Fans can also tune into Andrew Haynes on Texas’ radio broadcast on https://texas.leanplayer.com/ or the iHeart Radio app.
Notes
- Wagner, Baylor and Wisconsin are joining Texas at the Austin Regional. Prior to Texas’ game vs. Wagner on Friday, Baylor (28-26) and Wisconsin (32-19) will clash at 12:30 p.m. on ESPN+. The winner of the Austin Regional will advance to play the winner of the College Station Regional.
- Texas is making its 26th NCAA Tournament appearance, including its 21st-consecutive tournament. The Longhorns are 57-30 all-time during NCAA regionals.
- Texas has made the NCAA Tournament in every year under head coach Mike White. Under White, Texas has clinched six top-13 national seeds at the tournament.
- It marks the fourth-straight year in which Texas has earned a national seed (1 through 16). Texas’ four-consecutive national seeds ties for the longest streak in program history. It last happened from 2010 to 2013. Additionally, Texas has collected three-consecutive top-six national seeds.
- Texas’ No. 2 national seed is the second-highest national seed in program history, behind the 2024 team’s No. 1 overall seed. Last season, Texas was selected as the No. 6 overall seed and went on to win the program’s first Women’s College World Series with a 10-2 postseason run.
- Texas won the program’s first SEC Tournament title and fifth overall conference tournament crown on May 9.
- Junior first baseman Katie Stewart became the program’s first SEC Player of the Year after earning the award on May 8. Stewart is the fourth Longhorn to garner conference player of the year, joining Reese Atwood (2024), Taylor Thom (2014) and Amy Hooks (2011).
- Freshman RHP/DP Hannah Wells tied the program’s freshman home run record of 13, which was set by Katie Stewart in 2024.
- Against Oklahoma on April 10, junior RHP Teagan Kavan became the sixth player in program history to eclipse 500 career strikeouts. Kavan, who currently has 572 career strikeouts, joins Cat Osterman (2,265), Blaire Luna (1,428), Meagan Denny (988), Christa Williams (678) and Tiarra Davis (508) as the only players in program history to reach 500 career Ks. Kavan’s 572 career strikeouts rank fifth in program history.
All Eyes on the Longhorns
- Texas’ SEC Tournament Championship game vs. Alabama on May 9 was the most-watched college softball game this season, bringing in 847,000 viewers.
- Texas also had the top two most-watched regular season game this season vs. Georgia on April 19 with 725,000 viewers watching. The second-most watched college softball game this year was between the Longhorns and Oklahoma on April 11 when 700,000 tuned in.
- Three of Texas’ games were in the top 5 of college softball’s most viewed games during the regular season.
- Texas vs. Oklahoma on April 12 brought in 581,000 viewers, making it the third-most watched college softball game of the regular season.
Series History
- Texas and Wagner will be playing each other for the first time in history on Friday.
- Both Texas and Wagner received automatic bids to the NCAA Tournament after winning their conference tournament titles.
- Former Big 12 conference foes, Texas and Baylor have played 70 times with Texas leading the all-time series, 44-26.
- The Longhorns have won seven-straight games vs. the Bears.
- Texas and Wisconsin have played each other 11 times with Texas leading the all-time series, 8-3. The Horns and Badgers last played each other in 2023 with Texas winning two games, 7-4 and 5-1, in Austin.
SEC Tournament Champs!
- Texas won the program’s first SEC Tournament Championship on May 9 with a 7-1 victory over second-seed Alabama.
- Teagan Kavan was named the tournament’s MVP. Kavan, Viviana Martinez, Leighann Goode and Jaycie Nichols were selected to the All-Tournament Team.
- It was Texas’ fifth overall conference tournament title and the first conference tournament crown since 2005.
- The Longhorns have won five conference tournament championships (1999, 2002, 2003, 2005 and 2026) in seven of their championship game appearances (1999, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2023, 2024 and 2026). Texas earns its first conference tournament title under head coach Mike White. Under White, Texas has played in a conference tournament championship in three of the last four seasons. The Big 12 Conference did not host a conference tournament from 2011-2016.
NCAA Austin Regional Schedule (all game times listed in Central)
*More information about broadcast designations will be communicated throughout the week
Friday, May 15
12:30 p.m. – Game 1: Baylor vs. Wisconsin (ESPN+)
3 p.m. – Game 2: Texas vs. Wagner (ESPN+)
Saturday, May 16
12 p.m. – Game 3: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2
2:30 p.m. – Game 4: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2
5 p.m. – Game 5: Winner Game 4 vs. Loser Game 3
Sunday, May 17
12 p.m. – Game 6: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 5
Game 7: Winner Game 4 vs. Loser Game 3 (if necessary)
Please note that game times are subject to change due to game length and a mandatory 35-minute break between each game.
AUSTIN, Texas — An Austin-based improv troupe is celebrating a major milestone with performances in Texas and on a national stage.
Jane Austin Improv celebrates third anniversary with Texas shows & a national NYC stage
Jane Austin Improv is marking its third anniversary with a series of shows, including a headlining performance at the Long Center’s Rollins Studio Theatre on June 6.
The award-winning group is known for blending Regency-era storytelling with improv comedy, bringing Jane Austen-inspired characters, costumes and courtship drama to life with quick wit and audience-driven humor.
MORE | #TBT: ‘Jane Austin Improv’ brings 18th-century romance and modern humor to world stages
Following their Austin shows, the troupe will perform in New York City at the Del Close Marathon, one of the country’s premier improv comedy festivals.
Jane Austin Improv celebrates third anniversary with Texas shows & a national NYC stage
Jane Austin Improv has grown from local stages to performances across the U.S. and internationally, earning multiple nominations from the B. Iden Payne Awards, winning the 2023 Ethel Hinkley Award for Outstanding New Improv Troupe, and being named a “Best of Austin” finalist by the Austin Chronicle in 2025.
Organizers say the anniversary performances celebrate both the group’s growth and its mission to connect audiences through creative, accessible comedy.
Tickets for the June 6 performance at the Long Center can be found here: https://thelongcenter.org/events/janeaustinimprov/
After ranking as the third-best large U.S. city for starting a business last year, Austin took a surprising tumble into the 24th spot nationally for 2026.
WalletHub’s annual report, “Best Large Cities to Start a Business (2026)” compared 100 U.S. cities based on 19 relevant metrics across three key dimensions: business environment, access to resources, and costs. Factors that were analyzed include five-year business survival rates, job growth comparisons from 2020 and 2024, population growth of working-age individuals aged 16-64, office space affordability, and more.
Florida cities locked other states out of the top five best places in America for starting a new business: Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville, Hialeah, and St. Petersburg.
Austin’s business environment ranked 11th best in the country, and the city ranked ninth in the “access to resources” category. The city also tied with Boise, Idaho, and Fresno, California, for the highest average growth in the number of small businesses nationally.
Austin lagged behind in the “business costs” ranking, coming in at No. 80 overall. This category examined metrics such as the city’s working-age population growth, the share of college-educated individuals, financing accessibility, the prevalence of investors, venture investment amounts per capita, and more.
Earlier this year, WalletHub declared Texas the third-best state for starting a business in 2026, and several Houston-area cities have seen robust growth after being recognized among the best career hotspots in the U.S. WalletHub also ranked Austin on its top-10 list of the best U.S. cities to find a job. Entrepreneurial praise has also been extended to 15 Austin-based innovators that made Inc Magazine’s 2026 Female Founders 500 list.
Texas cities with strong environments for new businesses
Multiple cities in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex can claim bragging rights as the best Texas locales for starting a new business. Dallas ranked highest overall — appearing 11th nationally — and Irving landed a few spots behind in the 16th spot. Arlington (No. 23), Fort Worth (No. 30), Plano, (No. 35), and Garland (No. 65) followed behind.
Only six other Texas cities earned spots in the report: Houston (No. 26), Lubbock (No. 36), Corpus Christi (No. 39), San Antonio (No. 64), El Paso (No. 67), and Laredo (No. 76). Corpus Christi and Laredo also topped WalletHub’s list of the U.S. cities with the most accessible financing.
“From the Gold Rush and the Industrial Revolution to the Internet Age, periods of innovation have shaped our economy and driven major societal progress,” the report’s author wrote. “However, the past few years have been particularly challenging for business owners in the U.S., due to factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the Great Resignation and high inflation.”
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