Photo credit: Tamima Itani
The Chicago Bird Alliance, the Chicago Ornithological Society and the Illinois Ornithological Society are delighted to share an exciting new development honoring the oversized role Piping Plovers Monty and Rose played in conservation efforts in Chicago and Illinois. Today, Valentine’s Day, the board of the Chicago Park District voted to approve the petition submitted by Chicago Piping Plovers on behalf of our organizations, requesting that the 2021 expansion of 3.1 acres to the Montrose Dunes Natural Area be named The Monty and Rose Wildlife Habitat, honoring one of Chicago’s most famous couples, Monty and Rose, the Great Lakes Piping Plovers.
Monty and Rose nested at Montrose for three seasons in 2019, 2020 and 2021. Their species was listed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service as endangered in 1986, habitat loss being a key contributor to the near eradication of the species around the Great Lakes. The two chicks Monty and Rose fledged at Montrose Beach in 2019 were the first two Piping Plover chicks to fledge in Chicago and Cook County in 71 years.
Monty and Rose were named after Montrose. They captured the hearts of people locally, nationally, and internationally. Their story was portrayed in scores of newspaper articles, shedding a positive light on Chicago and the community that came together to help these birds. In 2020 and 2021, the chicks they fledged were named to reflect Chicago’s roots, history, and environmental justice activism: Hazel, Esperanza and Nish in 2020 and Imani and Siewka in 2021. Nish went on to nest in Ohio in 2021, establishing the first Ohio Great Lakes Piping Plover nest in 81 years. Their success nesting and fledging chicks in 2020 brought happiness and joy to the Chicago community during the darkest hours of the pandemic.
Piping Plovers are an umbrella species and, as such, the presence of Monty and Rose at Montrose resulted in greater protection of the natural areas for flora and fauna. In 2021, the Montrose Dune Natural area was expanded with an additional 3.1 acres, by repurposing a recreational area to wildlife habitat. The additional acreage comprises an open sand area that shorebirds, including Piping Plovers, use to forage and nest during their time in Chicago. Monty and Rose used the area extensively to nest and feed their chicks; they defended it from Killdeer and gulls to retain territorial rights of the area. In memory of Monty and Rose, who brought together a large community and made history, this habitat addition will now be known as The Monty and Rose Wildlife Habitat.
Sadly, Monty and Rose passed away in 2022. Thanks to Monty and Rose’s presence at Montrose more people were introduced to the joy of birding and to the importance of bird and habitat conservation. Their son Imani returned to Montrose in 2022 and 2023, carrying on his parents’ legacy of community excitement and engagement. Three captive-reared chicks were released at Montrose in July 2023, in another first for Chicago: the first location outside Michigan to host captive-reared chicks.