After deaths of 3 piping plover chicks, hope remains for fourth Montrose Harbor plover

CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Members of Chicago’s birding community continue to protect the sole remaining piping plover chick after three of its siblings died last week.

Kris Hansen said she and the other monitors with the Chicago Piping Plovers learned of the chicks’ death from the head of their volunteer group this weekend.

“Kind of like a family member, in a weird way, we’ve been so committed to them that they want us to know before we hear it on the news,” Hansen said.

She spoke to WBBM from under an umbrella to shield herself from the hot sun on Montrose Beach in a protected area for the endangered birds.

Plover fan Candy Plant said she came out to get a look at Imani and his four chicks, which she has been following online from Portland. The death of the third endangered bird has her sad and curious as to what is killing them.

“There’s no visible signs of any predators,” Plant said. “They’ve been well taken care of. All of the sudden, they’re crashing.”

Hansen said Imani continues to search for three of his babies, who are no longer here, and has been watching carefully over the remaining one.

Hansen said she’s hopeful the remaining chick survives. In a week, it should fledge — or develop enough feathers to be able to fly — which will help it evade predators.

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