New Vikings stadium request is for the birds

As the Vikings and stadium authority consider options for a new stadium, the DNR is asking planners to consider the birds when designing the structure.

The Minnesota Vikings may hope their new stadium is a hostile environment for the Philadelphia Eagles and Arizona Cardinals, but the Department of Natural Resources hopes it will be friendly to real birds.

The DNR has urged planners to consider "bird-friendly designs" to reduce the potential for fatal collisions with birds. The agency's comments were included in a 75-page document released Tuesday that's part of the environmental review process.

Melissa Doperalski, regional environmental assessment ecologist for the DNR, tells Finance & Commerce that numerous birds die each year after flying into building glass. The Mississippi River is a major migratory corridor.

So, she says, if the downtown Minneapolis stadium has prominent glass features designers should consider other elements that provide visual cues to prevent birds from crashing into the glass.