Endangered Piping Plovers

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Piping Plovers are a small sparrow sized bird that is considered endangered due to habitat loss, human disturbance, and predators (cats, dogs, seagulls, raccoons, skunks, etc. ).

There was a total of 81 unique breeding pairs across the Great Lakes region this summer (the most since their Endangered Species Act listing). One more than last year.

No plovers have successfully nested at Montrose Beach in Chicago since 2021. This year, although unsuccessful in securing a mate in 2022 and 2023, the bird named Imani, returned to the place he hatched and found Searocket, a captive-reared chick that was released at Montrose last year in the hopes that she would return to nest there this summer. And the gamble paid off! Imani and Searocket hatched 3 chicks in July.

The city held a naming contest for the chicks and the three winning names were Ferris, because the city had the first ferris wheel in 1893 and for the movie Ferris Bueller's Day Off, which takes place in Chicago. Another is named Bean, after the iconic sculpture in Millennium Park. The third is the one in the photos with the red leg band and is named El after Chicago's train system.

Thanks to dedicated Conservation Team members and volunteers with the Chicago Piping Plovers, these birds were well-monitored and protected despite the hustle and bustle of an urban beach. Team members wear orange Tshirts and help protect the birds from disturbance, answer questions and educate the public,

My daughter in law visited the beach and was able to get these great shots of newly fledged El.

Piping plovers from the Great Lakes and Northern Plains regions typically winter along the Gulf Coast. They will begin migrating in late summer and everyone will be watching for their return next spring!

hive-106444 plovers birds endangered chicago archon pimp pob vyb neoxian
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50 comments
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It's amazing how Imani and Searocket's story turned out. Feels like a little miracle that they hatched 3 chicks right at Montrose again after all those years.

P.S: Your Daughter-in-law deserves accolades! These are really great pictures 👏🏼

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Piping Plover "Searocket" was raised in a rescue because her nest was abandoned following the death of a parent plover (likely due to predation).
The stories of these birds are amazing
!LADY

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Wow. Thank you for the enlightenment
It really is amazing

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Wonderful birds and wonderful shots. Stunning Indeed!!!


Join us on the Ecency Discord

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Thanks so much! Your curation vote is appreciated!

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You're most welcome. Always, it is a pleasure for me, and I think for all of us who come across your posts, to read and enjoy the images you share. Exquisite content, without a doubt.

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What a beautiful bird! Bravo to those who care for nature!

!HUG

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There are many volunteers watching over these little guys!
!INDEED

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How are you, dear friend @melinda010100?

What beautiful photographs your daughter-in-law took! They are truly beautiful birds.

Excellent shots. I appreciate you sharing all this information.

Have a wonderful weekend.

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I was glad she shared the photos with us! I'm so lucky to have great photographers in the family!

If you want to give out Ecency Points tips, feel free. The account has plenty of points! I'll try to gift some, too.

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I wasn't familiar with this bird. How great that its population hasn't declined and that at least its growth has been slightly increased.
I hope their natural habitat isn't further affected and they multiply!

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Lots of people all around the region are working to save these birds!

!PIZZA

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I think it's fantastic!
These kinds of actions need to be multiplied!

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Those are tiny plovers in size, brilliant idea to name them bringing more awareness, great after success of breeding them in the region.

Excellent photography showing how beautiful birds are, thanks for sharing this magical time on your waters.

!LUV
!LADY

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Those 3 little Plover chicks get a lot of publicity on Chicago news!
The city is quite proud of the Montrose Point Bird Sanctuary!

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Publicity really helps awareness, birds returning is something to rejoice over.

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That's sweet how Imani and Searocket got together as hoped!

I hope their numbers continue to grow.

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People would be thrilled to have a whole flock of them returning each spring!

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That is awesome that you have a dedicated team mamber who are ready to monitor the bords and educate the people about the bird. I hope they will be able to flourish, and be out of the endanger list.
!PIZZA

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The team does a great job projecting the birds, even staying awake during stormy nights to be sure the waves don't get to big and threaten the nest
!INDEED
!PIZZA

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Such a beautiful bird.🐦 Seriously they're alot bird that we don't really know about and then names.Thanks for sharing.

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I really hope that they survive, with such small numbers remaining the odds aren't in their favor. But with human help and support hopefully they will bounce back to a healthy numbers and be a true conservation success story!
!BBH
!LADY
!PIZZA

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(Edited)

PIZZA!

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