Endangered birds are choosing Chicago

Fox32's recent segment about a young black-crowned night heron perched on a River North window ledge was a fun Chicago story. But it also revealed something surprising: most viewers had no idea that a state-endangered bird has chosen to make Chicago home.

For two decades, they have returned each spring to nest in Lincoln Park, raising their young in the heart of one of America's largest cities. Their numbers tell an important story. In 1992, an estimated peak of more than 1,600 adult black-crowned night herons were recorded in the Calumet region. This year, the colony reached a peak count of approximately 455 adults, a stark contrast to the historic Calumet numbers and a reminder of the challenges these birds face.

Despite the challenges they face, the herons continue to choose Chicago. They continue to raise their chicks here, forage along our rivers, lagoons and lakefront, and remind us that wildlife can still thrive in an urban landscape when we make room for it.

For the past three years, volunteers with the Chicago Black-crowned Night Heron Project have met thousands of people who were amazed to learn these remarkable birds live among us. Their reaction is almost always the same: “I had no idea.”

Perhaps that's the real story. These herons haven't given up on Chicago. They're still here, waiting for us to notice them and to recognize that their future in Illinois depends, in part, on the choices we make today.

Amy Lardner, Founder

Chicago Black-crowned Night Heron Project