Piping plover chicks are once again at Chicago’s Montrose Beach

The Great Lakes population of piping plovers are small migratory shorebirds that have been federally endangered in the region since the 1980’s when it is estimated that there were only 13 pairs. In 2019, a celebrity pair, Monty and Rose, reared chicks on Montrose Beach, marking the first time in decades that piping plovers nested successfully in the Chicago area. Monty and Rose inspired t-shirts, posters and even a documentary.

Monty and Rose’s impact on their species lives on through their son Imani who has returned to Montrose Beach and this year has a mate, Searocket, a captive-reared piping plover that was released onto the beach in 2023. Last week, four adorable piping plover chicks were hatched to Imani and Searocket.

Piping plovers were once a staple of the Great Lakes shoreline before becoming federally endangered. Each successful nesting season is a reason to celebrate the return of these birds to Chicago’s shoreline, but human activities have an impact on our environment. Imani, Searocket, and their chicks can help to remind us that we share this city and planet with amazing (and sometimes fluffy) wildlife.

To protect the chicks, a fence has been constructed around the nesting area, keeping non-human (and human) predators away. Members of local birding societies have also volunteered to work as monitors, making sure that gulls, dogs, and other species do not interfere. If you visit the piping plovers at Montrose Beach, remember to keep your distance and clean up any nearby trash to support the chicks and their parents.

Local groups are also asking for submissions to help name the new chicks. Submissions are requested by the end of the day Thursday, July 11th.

Nearly 80 breeding pairs of piping plovers have been accounted for in the Great Lakes region this year. These birds and the new chicks at Montrose Beach provide optimism for restoring our wildlife. We hope to hear more updates about Monty and Rose’s ‘grandplovers’ in the coming years.

A fluffy Great Lakes piping plover chick at Montrose Beach during summer 2024.Photo by Ann Hetzel Gunkel | Used by permission